"Meditations 




COPYRIGHT DEPOSITS 





































MEDITATIONS FOR MONTHLY 
RETREATS 

























































“ Come to Me, all you that labor and are bur¬ 
dened, and I will refresh you.” (St. Matt. xi. 28). 





MEDITATIONS FOR MONTHLY 
RETREATS 

FOR THE USE OF RELIGIOUS 


WITH PREFACE 


BY 


Rev. H. C. SEMPLE, S. 

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New Yoek, Cincinnati, Chicago: 

BENZIGER BROTHERS 

Printers to the Holy Apostolic See 
1907 


3 Xa»37s 
,MdS 


VUbil ©batat. 

REMY EAFORT, 

Censor Librorum. 

Imprimatur. 

4. JOHN M. FAREEY, 

Archbishop of New York. 

New York, February 15, 1907. 


LIBRARY of CONGRESS 


Two Copy Received 

NOV 11 190f 


Copyrlcnt Entry 

N<". n ii»7 

CLASS4 XXc, fie, 

t<*f 7<?& 

copy a. 


Copyright, 1907, by Benziger Brothers. 



PREFACE. 


After the mission is over and the parish 
has come back to every-day piety, there are 
always some good souls in trouble of con¬ 
science, and the pastor or ordinary confessor 
is slow to place the blame of the trouble on 
the preaching of the missionary. For has 
he not weekly experience of some of his flock 
taking in a wrong sense his own matter-of- 
fact Sunday announcements, which he has 
dinned into their ears in plain words and 
strong tones ? And how can he now be sur¬ 
prised that doctrines of theology or spirit¬ 
uality have not been caught right by all, or 
that burning words of censure, which had to 
be spoken for the lax sinner, have been taken 
especially for themselves by the saints of 
over delicate conscience? 

However, as he sits down to his post¬ 
mission task in the confessional, with these 
best friends of God kneeling at his feet and 



PREFACE . 


vi 

putting their souls in his hands, although 
deeply moved with tender sympathy for their 
anguish of heart, he is perhaps amused at 
the sameness of the stumbling blocks which 
the missions always raise in the way of per¬ 
sons, who are intelligent in all matters that 
do not touch their souls closely, but who are, 
on these points, over literal in mind and over 
timid in conscience. And perhaps he uses 
the privilege of long mutual confidence to 
make them laugh at their own follies. 

They fear that they have left out some 
mortal sin from their general confession, 
whereas the old friend who knows them well 
assures them that they had no mortal sin to 
confess, and, even if they had, they forgot 
that the rule for completeness of confession 
was made by the good Jesus, Who died that 
they might be easily forgiven, and that His 
rule is that after one serious trial to tell all 
mortal sins, no one is bound to try again. 
They fear that some things are now certain 
which were told as doubtful, and the answer 
is that even though they are now certain— 
which the confessor denies—the sincere tell¬ 
ing them as doubtful was enough. They 


PREFACE. 


vii 


fear that they may have consented fully to 
some grievous temptation without being fully 
conscious of such consent, and they are told 
in the language of the old ascetic that this 
is as absurd as to suppose a roaring lion 
could be in a well kept room without being 
noticed there. They fear that the fact that 
they have the same kind and number of 
venial sins to tell every week is an evident 
sign that they lack a serious purpose of 
amendment, and the confessor takes this fact 
as evidence that they have a most serious 
purpose of avoiding sins of worse kinds and 
of checking the number of these venial faults, 
if they are really sins at all and not, most of 
them, mere temptations. 

They dread lest their communions may 
be sacrilegious on account of some mortal 
sin they are not conscious of, and they are 
told that even if this absurd supposition were 
granted true, and that they had in their soul 
some huge monster which they could not see, 
yet if they have only ordinary attrition, not 
only is their communion not bad but is be¬ 
lieved by theologians to be good and useful; 
for in this case, the Body and Blood of Our 


PREFACE. 


viii 

Lord, although a sacrament of the living 
which ordinarily supposes the life of habitual 
grace, would Itself destroy the death of mor¬ 
tal sin in the soul and produce the life of 
grace. Here Our Lord would be truly the 
Lamb of God Who taketh away sin, the Lord 
saying the word and making us worthy for 
Him to enter under our roof, the good Rab- 
boni whose pure feet cleansed the impure 
lips and soul of Magdalen through the kiss of 
love. At least, they fear that they are not 
good enough to receive communion so fre¬ 
quently, and they must be reminded that 
Pius X. has settled this question for all time, 
and told us that all may go to communion 
every day, if only they are free from mortal 
sin and have an upright intention. 

Again, they fear that they are making no 
progress and had better give up trying, be¬ 
cause year in and year out they have the same 
defects which they have not conquered. But, 
granting that they have the same defects, 
they must not forget that goodness is not 
only negative, but also positive, that it is 
not only in avoiding bad acts but also in do¬ 
ing good acts; and that so long as we are in 


PREFACE . 


IX 


the state of habitual grace, or friendship with 
God, and remain in this state, by avoiding 
any act of mortal sin, even though we may 
be then committing many deliberate venial 
sins and thereby heaping up fuel for our pur¬ 
gatory, we may be, at the same time, doing 
countless good acts and heaping up treasures 
of gold, or supernatural merit, for heaven 
and eternity. So that if we have been living 
such a life, it would be better for us to die 
next year than this year, or to-morrow than 
to-day, because we should thus be higher in 
heaven, with more good works following us 
there. 

Again, they are distressed that they have 
no affectionate love for God; and they must 
be taught that the angels never feel any such 
sensible affection, and that charity, or love 
for God because He is good, is in the intel¬ 
ligence and will. Here they must be cau¬ 
tioned against some of the old prayer books, 
which are tinged with Rigorism or Quietism, 
and which make the virtue of charity an im¬ 
possible chimera that leaves all hope behind, 
and tell us that perfect love, or charity, does 
not look at God as our Father in heaven, 


X 


PREFACE. 


Who is kin to us, and made us, and redeemed 
us, to be happy with Him in heaven. They 
must be reminded that the great Doctors, 
from St. Augustus to St. Alphonsus, tell us 
that the first commandment of loving God 
with our whole heart is easy for all the ordi¬ 
nary faithful and is common among them, 
and that if Our Lord’s sign of true love for 
God is that we keep the commandments, how 
assured these good souls ought to be that they 
have it, when they not only keep the com¬ 
mandments which bind under mortal sin but 
do so many other good things wdiich are not 
of strict precept but only of counsel. 

Of course, there are many degrees in the 
virtue of charity; but even though we cannot 
love God as often as the angels or blessed in 
heaven, and even though we are not always 
ready to avoid all imperfections or even 
deliberate venial sins, yet, as long as we are 
ready to avoid mortal sin, because God is 
good, we still remain in His friendship and 
have the virtue of charity. 

Finally, if the good sisters complain that 
they might as well leave the convent, because 
they are not leading lives of perfection, they 


PREFACE. 


xi 


must be told to be quiet on this score as long 
as they are tending to perfection by a resolve 
to keep their vows of poverty, chastity, and 
obedience. 

Such are the main troubles of the devout 
that follow in the wake of a mission, and 
those that follow after a retreat, made under 
the guidance of a preacher or of a book, are 
nearly the same. These troubles are reduced 
to a minimum only by prudence—that rarest 
of all virtues—and it is for this excellence 
that this little classic is commended to su¬ 
periors and directors. It is old to readers 
of German and Flemish, but now makes its 
first appearance in an English dress. 

The method which it closely follows is 
that of Saint Ignatius, and has been in such 
exclusive use by numbers who make the daily 
meditation, that for them it is like second 
nature. The subjects at the head of the brief 
chapters are the old great truths to which we 
must ever be going back, when we wish to 
reform our thoughts, desires and lives. The 
arguments and texts, chosen to enforce these 
truths, are the old telling ones, which as 
familiar friends gain the easier access to our 


PREFACE. 


xii 

mind and heart. And yet, although the 
method, subjects, arguments and texts are 
old, the make-up of the book, with its happy 
way of putting things, will be found refresh¬ 
ing and novel. 

In our day of unrest—which has begun to 
invade even books of spirituality—that a 
book is old and tried, and found to be sound 
in doctrine and sane in word, will be a special 
recommendation. It is expected that its first 
welcome will be from those for whom it was 
primarily written, viz., religious women who 
have the holy habit of giving one day each 
month of their life to a preparation for 
death. Breathing pure Catholic air in the 
convent, they are blessed with the best ap¬ 
petite for the food of spiritual reading, and 
this new way of serving old viands will add 
to their relish and digestion. 

But as the Imitation, the Introduction to 
a Devout Life, and other such books, which 
were originally written for particular classes, 
are now perused with fruit by persons of all 
the classes who have souls to save or sanctify; 
so, too, this little treatise on the fundamental 
practical truths may gain a warm and wide 


PREFACE. 


xiii 

welcome. Its easy, copious style makes it 
well suited for reading in the refectory. 
With a few phrases blotted out here and 
there, the director of the Holy Hour or such 
other popular devotions, will find in it many 
meditations that seem made to order for him. 
Preachers of missions, or of Lenten instruc¬ 
tions to the people, or of retreats to com¬ 
munities, will discover in it a rich mine of 
matter easy to assimilate. 

May this little book help many souls to 
depth and fulness of Catholic life. 

Rev. H. C. Semple, S.J. 




CONTENTS. 


JANUARY. 

PAGE 

Meditation I. 0 Sacrum Conznznum! 

O Holy Banquet! 

First Point.— Holy Communion is a 

holy banquet. I 

Second Point.—E ffect of this holy 
banquet . 4 

Meditation II. Gratitude to God. 

First Point.— Why are we bound to 

be grateful toward God?. 8 

Second Point.— In what shall our 
gratitude consist?. 11 

Meditation III. The Value of Time. 

First Point.— Time is most precious 14 

Second Point.— We should not lose 
a moment . 17 


XV 








XVI 


CONTENTS. 


FEBRUARY. 

PAGE 

Meditation I. “Come and see .” 

First Point. —What do we see by 
faith in the Blessed Sacrament ?... 20 
Second Point. —What do we hear 
by faith from the mouth of Jesus? 25 

Meditation II. The Spirit of Faith. 

First Point.— It is of the greatest 
importance to possess the spirit of 

faith . 26 

Second Point.— How have we culti¬ 
vated the spirit of faith heretofore ? 29 

Meditation III. The Barren Fig-Tree. 

First Point. — “A certain man had a 
fig-tree planted in his vineyard, and 
he came seeking fruit on it, and 

found none.”. 33 

Second Point. —“And he said to the 
dresser of the vineyard: Behold for . 
these three years I come seeking 
fruit on this fig-tree, and I find 
none. Cut it down therefore; why 
cumbereth it the ground?”. 35 





CONTENTS. 


XVII 


PAGE 

Third Point.— “But he answering, 
said to Him: Lord, let it alone this 
year also, until I dig about it, and 
fertilize it. And if happily it bear 
fruit: but if not, then after that 
thou shalt cut it down.”. 37 

MARCH. 

Meditation I. Oar First and Oar Last 
Holy Communion. 

First Point. —Our first Holy Com¬ 
munion . 40 

Second Point.— Our last Holy Com¬ 
munion . 43 

Meditation IT. Mortification. 

First Point.— We must not neglect 
exterior mortification. 47 

Second Point. —Interior mortifica¬ 
tion is to be practised above all.... 49 
Meditation III. The Worth of Oar 
Soul. 

First Point.— Our soul is so very 
precious because it was created to 
the likeness of God. 53 







CONTENTS. 


xviii 

PAGE 

Second Point. —Our soul has been 
ransomed by the blood of Jesus 

Christ . 55 

Third Point. —Our soul is destined 
to possess God eternally. 56 

APRIL. 

Meditation I. Jesus in the Most Blessed 
Sacrament Our Benefactor. 

First Point. —Jesus bestows a great 
benefit on us in Holy Communion. 59 
Second Point. —What should we give 

Jesus ?. 62 

Meditation II. Hope. 

First Point. —Why must I hope?... 65 
Second Point. —How must my hope 

be ? . 67 

Meditation III. The Happiness of the 
Religious Vocation. 

First Point. —A religious vocation 
is a happiness because it withdraws 

us from many dangers. 70 

Second Point. —A religious vocation 
is a happiness on account of the 
advantages it affords. 72 








CONTENTS . xix 

MAY. 

PAGE 

Meditation I. Jesus Sought, Found and 
Kept by Mary. 

First Point. —Mary seeks Jesus.... 76 
Second Point. —Mary finds Jesus.. 78 
Third Point. —Mary keeps Jesus... 80 
Meditation II. Love for Jesus Christ. 

First Point. —Jesus deserves our 

love. 82 

Second Point. —How we should 

testify our love for Jesus. 85 

Meditation III. The Religious in Judg¬ 
ment. 

First Point. —What have I received ? 88 
Second Point. —What have I be¬ 
lieved ? . 90 

Third Point. —What have I vowed? 91 

JUNE. 

Meditation I. Spiritual Communion. 

First Point. —It is easy to commu¬ 
nicate spiritually . 95 






XX 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 


Second Point. — Spiritual Com¬ 
munion is most pleasing to God... 97 
Third Point. —Spiritual Communion 

is most useful to us. 98 

Meditation II. Humility. 

First Point. —What is humility?... 101 
Second Point. —Necessity of humil¬ 
ity .103 

Meditation III. The Fear of God. 

First Point. —We must fear the 

punishments of God.106 

Second Point. —We must fear of¬ 
fending God .108 

Third Point. —We must fear God 
Himself .no 


JULY. 

Meditation I. The Hidden Life of Jesus 
in the Blessed Sacrament. 

First Point.— Jesus, the hidden God. 113 
Second Point.— Why does Jesus 
hide in the Blessed Sacrament?. .. 115 
Meditation II. Meekness. 

First Point.— Jesus Christ requires 
meekness from us.120 








CONTENTS. 


XXI 


PAGE 

Second Point. —Our neighbor re¬ 
quires meekness from us.122 

Third Point. —Meekness is necessary 
for us.123 

Meditation III. Jesus Christ, Our Wit¬ 
ness. 

First Point. —Jesus Christ as God is 
omnipresent and witness of our 

actions .126 

Second Point. —Jesus in the Blessed 
Sacrament is our witness in a 

special manner .128 

Third Point. —We must always walk 
in the presence of God.129 

AUGUST. 

Meditation I. “Behold I Come Quickly.” 
First Point. —Who comes to me?.. 132 
Second Point. —To whom does Jesus 

come?.134 

Third Point. —Why does Jesus come 
to me?.136 









xxii CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Meditation II. Jesus, Zealous for Souls. 
First Point. —Jesus Christ zealous 

for souls in His public life. 139 

Second Point. —Jesus Christ full of 
zeal for souls in His passion.... 141 
Third Point. —Jesus Christ zealous 
for souls in the Blessed Sacrament 143 

Meditation III. Mutual Forbearance. 

First Point. —Forbearance is a ne¬ 
cessity of charity.145 

Second Point. —Forbearance is a 

demand of the divine law.147 

Third Point. —Forbearance is re¬ 
quired in justice .149 

SEPTEMBER. 

Meditation I. Thanksgiving after Holy 
Communion. 

First Point. —The duty of thanks¬ 
giving .151 

Second Point. —How our thanks¬ 
giving must be made.155 







CONTENTS. 


xxiii 


PAGE 


Meditation II. Prayer. 

First Point. —Why must we pray 

constantly? .158 

Second Point. —How must we pray 
constantly? .161 

Meditation III. Perseverance. 

First Point. —Necessity of persever¬ 
ance .164 

Second Point. —Means of persever¬ 
ance .165 


OCTOBER. 

Meditation I. The Motives that Induced 
Jesus to Institute the Blessed Sacrament. 
First Point. —Jesus instituted the 
Blessed Sacrament that we might 


think of Him always.171 

Second Point. —Jesus instituted the 
Blessed Sacrament to give us a 

worthy sacrifice .173 

Third Point.— Jesus instituted the 
Blessed Sacrament to prepare a 
nourishment for our souls. 175 









XXIV 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

Meditation II. Our Wishes and Desires. 
First Point. —What does the Sacred 

Heart desire?.178 

Second Point. —We should make the 
desires of the Sacred Heart our 
desires .180 

Meditation III. The Death of a Good 
Religious. 

First Point. —The past consoles her. 184 
Second Point. —The present gives 

her confidence.186 

Third Point. —The future does not 
frighten her.188 

NOVEMBER. 

Meditation I. The Effects of Holy 
Communion. 

First Point. —Holy Communion pre¬ 
serves and increases purity in our 

soul .191 

Second Point. —It increases and pre¬ 
serves the strength of our soul. .. . 194 
Third Point.— It ennobles and per¬ 
fects the soul.196 








CONTENTS. 


XXV 


PAGE 

Meditation II. Resignation to the Will 
of God. 

First Point. —In what does perfect 
resignation to the will of God con¬ 
sist? .198 

Second Point. —On what must our 
resignation to the will of God rest ? 200 
Third Point. —What advantage does 
resignation to the will of God 
bring ? .202 

Meditation III. End of Man. 

First Point. —Why was I created?. 204 
Second Point. —Wherefore am I a 

Christian? .206 

Third Point. —Why am I a reli¬ 
gious? .208 

DECEMBER. 

Meditation I. The Miracles of Jesus in 
the Blessed Sacrament. 

First Point. —Holy Communion is a 

miracle of love.211 

Second Point. —Holy Communion is 
a miracle of power. 213 








xxvi 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

Third Point.— Holy Communion is 

a miracle of patience.216 

Meditation II. Jesus in the Crib, a 
Model of Obedience, Poverty, and 
Chastity. 

First Point.— The crib teaches us 

obedience .218 

Second Point.— The crib teaches us 

holy poverty.220 

Third Point.— The crib teaches us 

holy chastity.223 

Meditation III. Heaven, 

First Point.—T he reward of heaven 

is an overflowing joy.225 

Second Point.— The reward of 

heaven is unmixed joy.228 

Third Point.—T he reward of heaven 
is eternal joy.230 









Meditations for Monthly Retreats 


JANUARY. 


MEDITATION I. 

0 Sacrum Convivium! 0 Iloly Banquet! 

Prayer Before Meditation. 

Almighty,, eternal God, God of mercy 
and love, I am unworthy to bend the 
knee before Thee, much less to speak to 
Thee, to open my heart before Thee. I know 
and confess that Thou art present here, really 
and truly, and that without Thee I can do 
nothing. I come, a child, to Thee my best, 
most benevolent Father, and ask Thee in the 
simplicity of my heart to let all my thoughts 
and emotions, desires and resolutions be 
purely and exclusively for Thy service, for 
the glory of Thy Divine Majesty. Enlighten 
my understanding that I may know the di- 
1 




2 


MEDITATION L 


vine truths; move and direct my will by Thy 
grace, that I may conform my whole life 
according to these truths. 

Our Father. Hail Mary. 

First Prelude. —Behold Jesus Christ 
saying, “Take ye and eat, this is My body” 
(Matt. xxvi. 26 ). 

Second Prelude. —Grant us, O Lord, to 
venerate the mysteries of Thy sacred body 
and blood in such a manner as to experience 
in us the fruits of Thy Redemption forever 
(Prayer of the Church). 

First Point. Holy Communion is a 
Holy Banquet. —Consider why this banquet 
is holy. Who prepares it ? Is He not the Son 
of God, the Holy of holies, the lovable Re¬ 
deemer of the world? For whom does He 
prepare it ? Who are His guests, His in¬ 
vited? Many pious, holy souls, to be found 
over the whole world. I, too, poor sinner 
though I am, belong to them, I with my 
soiled festal garment. What food will be 
served? No ordinary dish, flattering the 
senses for a moment—no; a heavenly, 


JANUARY. 


3 


divine food—indeed, a divine food! For 
Christ Himself, the God-man, is received. 
He, whom the angels and saints of 
heaven adore; He, who constitutes their 
everlasting happiness, their eternal joy, be¬ 
comes food for me. He comes to me, de¬ 
scends into me, unites Himself with me in a 
manner more intimate than can he conceived, 
thus enabling me to exclaim with the Apostle, 
“I live, now not I, but Christ liveth in me” 
(Gal. ii. 20). But how? Am I called to 
receive Jesus Christ; I, a sinner, to receive 
the Holy of holies ? I, a miserable worm of 
the earth, to commune with the King of 
kings, the Lord of hosts ? O wonderful 
event! A despicable slave eats at the table 
of her master! 

For what purpose has this holy banquet 
been prepared? As a memorial of the Pas¬ 
sion and death of my God and my Lord, in 
memory of the nameless sufferings which He 
endured in the Garden of Olives, at the 
column of flagellation, on the road to Cal¬ 
vary, on the cross! “As often as you shall 


4 


MEDITATION I. 


eat this bread and drink the chalice, yon 
shall show the death of the Lord until He 
come” (1 Cor. xi. 26 ). 

What honor, what happiness for me to be 
allowed to partake of this holy banquet! How 
solicitous must I be that my festal garment 
show not the least stain! How ardently must 
I sigh, long for the day, the moment of Holy 
Communion! How duty bound am I to 
thank Jesus Christ for so inestimable a gift! 

Second Point. Effects of this Holy 
Banquet. —Our holy Church sums them up 
in these words: “0 holy banquet, by which 

the soul is replenished with grace, and w T e 
are given a pledge of eternal glory.” 

The soul is replenished with grace. After 
Holy Communion I possess Jesus, the source 
of all grace. What else could I wish for? 
“He that spared not even His own Son, but 
delivered Him up for us all, how hath He 
not also, with Him, given us all things?” 
(Kom. viii. 32 .) 

I have in me not only the light, but the 
Source of all light; not only power and 


JANUARY. 


5 


strength, but the Origin of all power. Yes, 
it is true and I believe what St. Teresa says: 
“A single Holy Communion suffices to make 
a saint of me”—and yet after so many Holy 
Communions I am still so imperfect. To 
whom must I ascribe this ? Only to myself, 
not to Holy Communion. If my heart were 
free from all sin, from earthly inclinations 
and distractions, surely then it would be 
filled w T ith graces, for Jesus longs for noth¬ 
ing more ardently than to infuse them into 
my soul. Yet, as a vessel partly filled with 
a liquid can only partly receive another, so 
our heart can receive grace only to the extent 
that it is free from inordinate inclinations. 

A pledge of eternal glory is given to us— 
if I receive Jesus worthily I may firmly 
hope to be saved. Our Saviour is not satis¬ 
fied with giving us a thousand means of sal¬ 
vation, with assurance by words that He de¬ 
sires our salvation, that He has written us 
in His hand, and carries us in His heart. 
Above all this, He wants to give us a pledge 
that shall prove to us how surely and con- 


MEDITATION I. 


fidently we may trust His love and His 
promises. And what a pledge! Ho silver, no 
gold, no precious stones, He wants to give— 
nothing less than Himself. Oh! if a mother 
opened a vein of her arm to feed her child 
with her blood, who could doubt the love of 
such a mother? Jesus does much more for 
me. To give me an eternal, blessed life, He 
feeds me with His divine flesh and blood, 
and says to me: Whosoever eateth My flesh 
and drinketh My blood hath everlasting life, 
and I will raise him up in the last day” 
(John vi. 55 ). O God, what a consolation 
for me when I shall be lying on my death¬ 
bed and when the thought of Thy judgment 
shall frighten me: “Why art thou sad, O my 
soul, and why dost thou disquiet me ? Hope 
in God” (Ps. xlii. 5 ). In my last moments 
my Pedeemer will come to me, to give Him¬ 
self to me as a pledge of eternal joy. How 
could I then fear the Judge—He that is go¬ 
ing to judge me sojourns in my heart to con¬ 
sole and encourage me. 

Soon Jesus Christ will again descend into 


JANUARY. 


7 


me. O Lord, free my heart from all earthly 
things, fill me with Thy grace, that Thy 
entrance may indeed he for me a pledge of 
future glory. Give me now those senti¬ 
ments which I wish to have on my deathbed. 

Prayer after Meditation. 

O my God, I offer Thee all my good 
thoughts, all holy inspirations and reso¬ 
lutions which Thou hast deigned to in¬ 
fuse, for Thy greater honor and for the sal¬ 
vation of my soul, during this meditation. I 
place them in Thy holy hands, in order that 
they may be preserved there for eternity and 
never depart from my memory. I confide 
to Thee my body, and my soul with all its 
powers, which I will use only to carry out 
the resolutions which I have just made. O 
Lord, give me Thy grace. Blessed Virgin, 
my dear Mother, holy guardian angel, holy 
patrons, be my intercessors with God, and 
secure for me the grace to participate in the 
homage you render at the throne of the Most 
High, so that after this temporal life I may 


8 


MEDITATION II. 


love, praise, and adore Him with you for all 
eternity. 

MEDITATION II. 

Gratitude to God. 

First Prelude. —Behold Jesus Christ as 
He asks, in disappointment, after healing 
the ten lepers: “Were not ten made clean? 
And where are the nine?” (Luke xvii. 17 .) 

Second Prelude. —Most blessed Virgin, 
who hast offered God such ardent thanks in 
thy magnificent canticle, give me a share in 
the feelings of gratitude that animated thee. 

First Point. Why Are We Bound to Be 
Grateful Toward God ?—Holy Church 
reminds us in every Mass of our duty of 
gratitude, and at the same time shows us the 
reason why we have to fulfil this duty. 

“Let us render thanks to the Lord, our 
God—for this is truly meet and just, right 
and salutary, that we should always and in 
all places give thanks to Thee, O holy Lord, 
Father almighty.” It is meet, that is, hon¬ 
orable for us, to be permitted to thank God. 
Who is God, that He deigns to accept my 


JANUARY. 


& 

thanks ? And who am I ? — He is the most 
Holy, the Almighty, the eternal God, whom 
cherubim and seraphim adore—I am but a 
poor worm of the earth, unworthy to lift my 
eyes to Him; my lips are sullied, my hands 
stained and unclean. It is just that I thank 
God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy 
Ghost. Has not my life been a chain of 
God’s benefits toward me? What have I 
that I did not receive ? Have I not to thank 
Thee, my heavenly Father, for my existence, 
for my immortal soul, created according to 
God’s likeness, and for my body, endowed 
with so many noble faculties ? The Redemp¬ 
tion with its fruits, Thy Passion, Thy blood, 
Thy tears, Thy doctrine, and Thy example, 
Thy holy sacraments, Thy continual presence 
in the tabernacle—are all these not gifts of 
Thy goodness, O my Jesus? Thee, O Holy 
Ghost, I have to thank for my call to the 
true faith and to the religious state, for the 
numerous inspirations and graces that keep 
faith alive in me. Truly, no claim can be 
proved clearer than the claim of God to my 


10 


MEDITATION II. 


gratitude! And how do I show my gratitude ? 
O God, have mercy on me according to the 
multitude of Thy mercies! 

It is moreover right that I thank God. I 
should take it very ill of a beggar if he gave 
no thanks for an alms received. It gives us 
pleasure to see evidences of gratitude even in 
irrational creatures, yet I, a rational being, 
forget so often that God is my greatest bene¬ 
factor ; while receiving from Him the 
greatest tokens of love, I scarcely am mind¬ 
ful of the fatherly hand that bestows them. 

It is salutary to be grateful to God. “Be 
thankful for the smallest,” says Thomas a 
Kempis (Im. ii. 10), “and you shall be 
deemed worthy to receive greater things. 
“Ingratitude,” says St. Bernard, “is the 
enemy of the soul, it is a singeing wind that 
dries up the source of grace.” 

Understand then, my soul, that you truly 
owe thanks to God; ask His pardon for your 
lack of gratitude, promise amendment and 
invite all creatures to praise and thank God 
with you. 


JANUARY. 


11 


Second Point. In Wiiat Shall Our 
Gratitude Consist ?—According to St. 
Thomas Aquinas, gratitude embraces three 
points, namely: acknowledgment of the bene¬ 
fit, expression of thanks, and the good use 
of the benefit. I must, then, acknowledge 
the benefit that God has bestowed on me by 
creating me, redeeming me, saving me when 
I was in sin, by offering me so many means 
of salvation; all these I must appreciate, by 
recalling to memory the highness of the 
Giver, the grandeur of His gifts, and the love 
with which He bestowed them. “Bless the 
Lord, O my soul, and never forget all He 
hath done for thee” (Ps. cii. 2). 

I must also express my thanks, show forth 
His gifts. “Come and hear, all ye that fear 
God, and I will tell you what great things He 
hath done for my soul” (Ps. lxv. 16 ). 

God requires a proof of my gratitude, and 
justly. He Himself offers me occasions to 
give it several times a day. My morning and 
night prayers, the prayers before and after 
meals, the canonical Office, are they not so 




12 


MEDITATION II. 


many chances of offering God my due thanks ? 
Jesus Christ Himself is willing in holy Mass 
to be an offering of thanks, whereby we can 
return as much to God as we have received; 
for we can not receive more nor return more 
than Jesus Christ, through whom the angels 
praise the majesty of God, whom the heaven¬ 
ly choirs adore, and before whom the powers 
of heaven tremble. 

I must also make good use of the benefits 
of God, that is, use them for His honor. St. 
Augustine says, “We are robbing God if we 
do not return His benefits to Him.” What 
should one say, then, if we manufacture 
weapons out of them to fight against our 
Benefactor and to offend Him? Enter into 
yourself, my soul, and examine earnestly: 
How stands my gratitude to God? Does it 
lack any of the three points 'mentioned ? 
Are my morning and night prayers truly an 
act of thanksgiving to God? Do not my 
hurry and distraction during prayers before 
and after meals turn them into offenses in¬ 
stead of thanksgivings ? And my Office ? 


JANUARY. 


13 


Would I risk giving thanks to a man in the 
manner in which I often recite it ?. . . Do 
I remember that holy Mass is not only a 
sacrifice of petition and expiation, but above 
all a holocaust of thanksgiving ?.. . And 
how do I use the other benefits of God ? My 
senses—my eyes ?... my tongue ?.. . my 
hands ?... my talents ?... my intel¬ 
lect ?.. . my memory ?.. . my will ? How 
do I profit by the numberless graces that I 
receive ?. . . by the countless inspirations of 
the Holy Ghost ?... by the holy sacraments 
of confession and Communion ?.. . by the 
sufferings and crosses that likewise are ben¬ 
efits from God ? 

O God, have mercy on me, a poor sinner! 
How many of Thy benefits I have forgotten, 
paid with ingratitude, ill-used! On account 
of my ingratitude, I do not deserve that the 
earth bear me any longer: I deserve to be 
despised by all creatures. But I will amend 
whatever can still be amended. From now 
on my life shall be one of thanksgiving, yea, 
mindful of the exhortation of St. Paul, I will 


14 


MEDITATION III. 


thank God in happiness and in misfortune, 
in joy and suffering, “for this is the will of 
God in Christ Jesus, concerning you all” 
(1 Thess. v. 18 ). From the bottom of my 
heart I exclaim, and wish that all creatures 
would incessantly repeat with me through 
all eternity: Thanks be to God, through 
Jesus Christ, Our Lord. 

Prayer after Meditation. 

MEDITATION III. 

The Value of Time. 

First Prelude. —Represent to yourself 
Jesus Christ saying earnestly to the Jews, 
“Yet a little while the light is among you; 
walk whilst you have the light, that the dark¬ 
ness overtake you not” (John xii. 35 ). 

Second Prelude.— An ardent prayer to 
know the value of time. 

First Point. Time is Most Precious.— 
With all the gold of the earth we could not 
purchase one minute. St. Bernard says, 
“Time is worth as much as heaven, for 


JANUARY. 


15 


heaven is the reward for the good employ¬ 
ment of time.” A moment well used gained 
paradise for the thief on the cross. The 
better we employ our time, the greater our 
glory in heaven will be. 

“Time,” St. Bernard continues, “is worth 
as much as the blood of Jesus Christ.” The 
value of a thing corresponds to the price that 
experts put upon it. And what price did the 
Son of God, eternal Wisdom, pay to obtain 
for us time in which to work out our salva¬ 
tion? His blood to the last drop. What is 
more precious than the blood of Jesus Christ, 
a single drop of which, according to St. 
Thomas, suffices to cancel the debts of the 
whole world ? 

How precious must time be, then, since its 
purchase price is the blood of Jesus Christ! 
St. Bernard ventured to say, “Time is worth 
as much as God Himself, for every well-used 
moment can procure us the eternal possession 
of God!” Ho wonder that God is so eco¬ 
nomical in the distribution of time, giving it 
only drop by drop. Like an arrow the 


16 


MEDITATION III. 


moment passes; if we do not seize it, it is 
lost, irrevocably lost. Where is the moment 
now in which we just considered this ? Gone! 
and no one can recall it; other moments come 
and go, and thus time hurries past us, never 
coming to a standstill. 

These truths should encourage me, but 
also fill me with a certain fear. How great 
is the goodness of God that He grants me, 
continually, free disposal of my time! Yet 
how it grieves me to have lost so much of it 
already! How unaccountable that I make 
such bad use of it! Who knows how long I 
may have time? Will the next moment be 
mine ? Yobody knows. Oh, what folly! 
“You kill time,” says St. Bernard, “that God 
grants you to do penance, to obtain pardon, 
to acquire grace, to conquer heaven! You 
squander time that is given you to regain 
God’s favor and your lost inheritance, to 
assure yourself the society of angels and your 
promised salvation, to raise up your en¬ 
feebled will and to bewail your sins” (St. 
Bernard, De triplici custodia). 


JANUARY. 


IT 


Second Point. We Should Not Lose a 
Moment. —What time should I consider 
lost? That time in which I, yielding to 
sloth, neither think nor do anything useful. 
Consider, my soul, that sloth is not only the 
beginning of all vice, but robs you of a 
treasure of infinite value. It is worse still, 
if you use the allotted time for sin. How 
many moments, hours, and days I have lost 
in my life! If I have performed my daily 
work merely and exclusively from natural 
motives without any higher intention, taken 
my meals, enjoyed recreation or the night’s 
rest merely and exclusively to satisfy my 
nature, then all the time applied to these ends 
is lost for eternity! What a misfortune, 
what a loss! And that, perhaps, occurs 
every day! How much will that amount 
to in a lifetime ? If I perform my 
works, even the best, at a time or in a man¬ 
ner not in accordance with the duties of my 
calling, if, for instance, I pray when I should 
work, sleep when I should be awake, work 
when I should pray or sleep, then the time 
employed in all these occupations is lost. 


18 


MEDITATION III. 


When I am not in the state of grace my 
holiest works have no merit, even should I 
perform them at the right time and in the 
most perfect manner; at the end of each day 
passed in this deplorable state I might cry 
out with the lamentation: “I have earned 
nothing for heaven, I have lost time and 
energy! I ran, but outside the track, and 
therefore in vain.” Similarly, I may com¬ 
plain if vanity was the sole motive of my 
actions. “The precious time has escaped; 
how can I recall it?” 

My soul, what have you to reproach your¬ 
self with in this respect ? Have you not lost 
much time by laziness, perhaps the most 
precious moments of your life, after Holy 
Communion or in prayer ? Have you ever used 
time for sin on other days less happy ? Is that 
still the case? With what intention do you 
perform the thousand little, ordinary actions 
that go to make up the day of a religious ? 

Is the thought: “For God and for His 
sake” frequently before your mind ? Do 
you perform your works in the manner, at 


JANUARY. 


19 


the place, and at the time your Holy Rules 
and your Superior prescribe ? Do you not al¬ 
low vain or sinful motives to rob you of time ? 

O my God, with all my heart I repent 
having lost so many precious moments! How 
different is my conduct from that of the 
saints, who, “Being made perfect in a short 
space, fulfilled a long time” (Wisdom iv. 
13). Oh that I had their zeal in faithful 
application of time! How glorious my 
crown in heaven would become, while now I 
have to repent bitterly, either on my death¬ 
bed or in purgatory, for having allowed so 
many precious moments to pass by unused. 
Hear then the resolution, O my God, which 
I place in the hands of Mary, that she may 
help me to fulfil it: never to be idle, and to 
perform all my actions in that state, with 
that intention, in that place, at that time 
and in that manner which is in accordance 
■with Thy holy will, the interest of my soul, 
and my Holy Rule. “My heart is ready, O 
God, my heart is ready” (Ps. cvii. 1). 

Prayer after Meditation. 


FEBRUARY. 


MEDITATION I. 

“Come and see” (John i. 39). 

First Prelude. —Kepresent to yourself 
Jesus answering the question of His first two 
disciples: “Master, where dw’ellest Thou?” 
saying, “Come and see.” From the taber¬ 
nacle Jesus addresses us in the same words. 

Second Prelude. —An earnest request to 
Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament to open 
the eyes and ears of our soul. 

First Point. What Do We See by Faitii 
in the Blessed Sacrament? —We know 
that Jesus Christ is here present, truly and 
substantially, with divinity and humanity, 
with body and soul, as He dwells in heaven 
in His glorified body. Our faith, founded 
20 



FEBRUARY. 


21 


on the words of Jesus Christ, teaches this. 
In the Blessed Sacrament we have the most 
sacred body of Jesus, which He took to Him¬ 
self in the chaste womb of Mary; there are 
His eyes, that so lovingly and encouragingly 
rested upon poor sinners; His hands, that 
toiled in the workshop of Nazareth, that 
wrought so many miracles and showered such 
rich blessings on great and small; His sacred 
Heart, that burned with love for me, and 
was pierced on the cross in testimony of His 
love. There are His sacred wounds, once 
painful and bloody through my fault. . . His 
precious blood that He shed to the last drop 
for me. 

O Jesus, pardon me the sins by which I 
inflicted Thy wounds and shed Thy blood. 
Yet it is these wounds and this blood that fill 
me with confidence. Thou retainest Thy 
wounds on Thy body to show them to Thy 
heavenly Father for me, and Thou offerest 
Thy blood to Thy Father as ransom for my 
trespasses. “In Thee, O Lord, have I hoped; 
let me not be confounded.” 


22 


MEDITATION I. 


There is His holy soul, with all the 
treasures of virtue: love, humility, meek¬ 
ness, obedience. O Jesus, how different from 
my soul is Thine. Thine full of virtue, 
mine full of sins. How I will earnestly 
strive to render my poor soul more like 
Thine.. . True, to do so will cost labor and 
struggle, yet I can do everything in Him who 
strengthens me. Thy soul is resplendent with 
grace, and from Thy fulness we must all 
receive. Oh that my poor soul understood 
how to draw from this source of grace!.. . 

There is, likewise, His adorable Deity. 
Jesus is One with the Father and the Holy 
Ghost; He has the same divine nature, the 
same wisdom and power, the same goodness, 
the same immutable perfection. Angels and 
archangels never cease repeating, “Holy, 
holy, holy, is the Lord God of hosts; heaven 
and earth are full of His glory.” O divine 
Saviour, let me unite my voice with theirs. 
O angels of God, offer my prayer to Jesus 
Christ, obtain for me your reverence in His 
holy presence, your love. Soul of Christ, etc . 


FEBRUARY. 


23 


Second Point. Wiiat Do We Hear by 

PxVITH FROM THE MOUTH OF JESUS f - 

“Listen, My child, and incline thy ear to 
the words of My mouth’/ “Speak, Lord, Thy 
servant heareth!” (1 Kings iii. 10.) What 
does Jesus say in the Blessed Sacrament? 

Words of sublime instruction: “Take ye 
and eat, for this is My body” (Matt. xxvi. 
26). Even if thy eye beholds but the shape 
of bread, I, the God of heaven and earth, am 
concealed in this bread. “Amen, amen, I 
say unto you: He that believeth in Me, hath 
everlasting life. Your fathers did eat manna 
in the desert, and are dead. This is the 
Bread which cometh down from heaven; that 
if any man eat of it, he may not die. The 
Bread that I will give, is My flesh, for the 
life of the world. For My flesh is meat in¬ 
deed; and My blood is drink indeed” (John 
vL) 

O Lord, I adore Thee under the veil of 
bread. I admire in it a mystery of 
deepest humility and inexpressible love. 
With St. Thomas Aquinas I exclaim: 


24 


MEDITATION L 


‘'Seeing, touching, tasting, all are here deceived, 
But by hearing only safely 'tis believed: 

I believe whatever God's own Son averred, 
Nothing can be truer than Truth's very word, 

On the cross Thy Godhead, only, was concealed, 
Here not e'en Thy manhood is to sight revealed. 
But in both believing and confessing, Lord, 

Ask I what the dying thief of Thee implored.” 

Moreover* we hear words of gentle re¬ 
proach: “My people, what have I done for 
thee, or with what have I afflicted thee? 
Answer Me.” 

“What! could you not watch one hour with 
Me?” (Matt. xxvi. 40.) 

Words of loving admonition: “Amen, 
amen, I say unto you: Except you eat the 
flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, 
you shall not have life in you” (John vi. 
54). O Lord, let all misfortunes of the earth 
befall me rather than that I be separated 
from Thee in eternity. 

Words of magnificent promise: “I am the 
Bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall not 
hunger, and he that believeth in Me shall 
never thirst. He that cometh to Me I will 
not cast out. And I will raise him up in the 


FEBRUARY. 


25 


last day. Amen, amen, I say unto you: He 
that believeth in Me, hath everlasting life. 
If any man eat of this Bread, he shall live 
forever. He that eateth My flesh and drinketh 
My blood abideth in Me, and I in him” 
(John vi). O my soul, what treasures are 
promised me! Jesus will deliver me from 
the hunger and thirst after earthly joys. On 
account of this food, even my body will par¬ 
take of the glory of my soul; eternal life is 
assured me. Jesus will always be in me and 
I in Him. What more could I desire? O 
my Saviour, my Sanctifier! These promises 
encourage me. Thou lovest me; therefore 
Thou strengthenest me so often by Holy 
Communion, therefore Thou wilt enter again 
into my heart to-day. Come, O my Jesus, 
come! In my last sickness, when all earthly 
things vanish, every human aid is in vain, 
Thou wilt come to me to be my consolation, 
my support, my help. O, how I shall then 
wish to have profited by Thy instructions, 
Thy benevolent reproofs and admonitions, 
Thy encouraging promises. 


26 


MEDITATION II. 


Oh, that I were now in the dispositions in 
which I desire to he at that moment. Lord, 
give me those sentiments, I entreat Thee by 
Thy Passion and painful death, by the inter¬ 
cession of the most blessed Virgin Mary, of 
St. Joseph and St. Barbara. 

Prayer after Meditation. 

MEDITATION II. 

The Spirit of Faith . 

First Prelude. —Represent to yourself 
our risen Saviour, speaking to Thomas: 
“Blessed are they that have not seen and have 
believed” (John xx. 29). 

Second Prelude. —Let us conjure Our 
Lord to grant us the spirit of faith. Beg for 
it through the intercession of Mary, whose 
faith the Holy Ghost extolled through the 
mouth of Elizabeth. 

First Point. It is of the Greatest 
Importance to Possess the Spirit of 
Faith. —Consider: 1. Man has a threefold 
vision: the sight of the body, which sees but 


FEBRUARY . 


27 


the exterior of things; the sight of the in¬ 
tellect, which, though penetrating deeper, is 
still subject to many deceptions; finally, the 
eye of faith, which fathoms the essence of 
things and beholds them as they are before 
God in the light of truth and eternity. 

2. The spirit of faith is of the greatest 
importance to all Christians, especially to 
religious. If we allow ourselves to be guided 
in our actions by the exterior of persons and 
things, our actions will not only lack every 
merit, but wfill often become sinful. If we 
listen only to the promptings of our natural 
intellect, our actions will be imperfect and 
devoid of merit. Only when we act in the 
light of faith have our works value for eter¬ 
nity ; then only, when we perform them care¬ 
fully, with zeal, the smallest of our actions 
will be most precious and meritorious before 
God. 

3. God has led us out of the world, that in 
the solitude of the convent we might acquire 
the spirit of faith without being hampered 
by worldly cares. His will is that our life. 


28 


MEDITATION II. 


more than that of people in the world, em¬ 
body the words of the Holy Ghost: “My just 
man liveth by faith” (Hebr. x. 38). What 
follows from these truths? That everything 
surrounding us or being enacted around us 
ought to be viewed with the eyes of faith. 
In this way everything assumes a different 
aspect: persons, things, actions, events. O 
my God, how ashamed and sorry I should 
be when I consider how little I have used the 
eye of faith! Instead, I have used my 
bodily eye. I should consider myself very 
unhappy to be denied its use; and yet, how 
often have appearances deceived me, with¬ 
out ever making me wiser. With the eye of 
the intellect I tried to penetrate the secrets 
of science and art; how much time I have 
spent in this way, and lost, perhaps! I kept 
the eye of faith, this inestimable present of 
Thy bounty, closed. I was, as it were, blind 
in this eye. 0 Lord, enlighten my soul that 
I may now clearly see what my duty is, and 
what resolutions I ought to make in Thy 
presence. 


FEBRUARY . 


29 


Second Point. How Have We Culti¬ 
vated the Spirit of Faith Heretofore ?— 
1. In regard to persons. Whom have I be¬ 
held in my Superiors ? My bodily eye be¬ 
holds in them simply men; the eye of my in¬ 
tellect beholds perhaps men of experience, 
knowledge and virtue, perhaps men with 
faults and foibles (for who in this world is 
not subject to them?) ; the eye of faith be¬ 
holds in them the representatives of God, 
who neither command nor forbid of them¬ 
selves, but by the authority given to them by 
God... 

Have I looked at the priest in the light 
of faith—in my intercourse with him, in the 
confessional, in the pulpit, at the altar ? 
Have I honored him as the anointed one of 
the Lord ? 

In what light have I beheld my subjects? 
the children, the sick, the needy? Have I 
seen in them Jesus Christ, who desires in¬ 
struction and help from me? How have I 
regarded my sisters in religion? Have I 
dwelt on the exterior, on their manners, on 


30 


MEDITATION II. 


their stature, their former situation in the 
world, and the like outward things that either 
attract or repel my bodily eye? Have I 
measured my love and esteem by talents, in¬ 
tellect and character? Alas, Lord, too often 
I have paid attention to these things and 
acted accordingly; and I have not considered 
Thy image in their immortal soul, their 
destination for heaven, the work of Thy 
grace!... Just as I have done with others, 
so have I done with myself. I have bestowed 
too much care on my body, on the exterior, 
while my care for the beauty and perfection 
of my soul has been but little. 

2. In regard to things and occupations. 
O my soul, how much depends on it, that you 
view these things in the light of faith!. . . 
Have I regarded the power of God in the 
objects that our holy Church blesses for our 
use, in my rosary, in the holy water, in my 
crucifix ?. . . If words of Holy Writ occur 
in my prayers have they impressed me as 
words of the Holy Ghost Himself ?. . . How 
have I regarded my religious habit? Is it 


FEBRUARY. 


31 


the livery of my supreme Lord and King ?. .. 
How the places of prayer? The genuflec¬ 
tions and exercises that I perform? If my 
faith were lively, I would enter the chapel 
as the house of the Most High and would 
consider the bowing of the head and the 
bending of the knee as evidences of reverence 
due my Lord and God. Then I would ac¬ 
quit myself of every occupation as of a work 
for a great King, who leaves nothing un¬ 
rewarded. Then I would surely not recite 
my prayers in a manner so as to scandalize 
others and heap up fuel for purgatory. 

3. In regard to actions. Kay, my soul, 
there are no negligible, no accidental occur¬ 
rences. If you had the spirit of faith, you 
would recognize in all circumstances, and 
would constantly make the application, that 
nothing happens without God’s dispensation, 
that divine Providence embraces all, even the 
smallest thing, that without God’s knowledge 
and will no hair falls from our head, no leaf 
from a tree; and no cross, no difficulty, can 
come to us, no misfortune can befall us un* 


32 


MEDITATION III. 


less God from all eternity has destined it for 
ns.. . 

How often, 0 my God, I have forgotten 
all this! Remind me of this truth in all the 
situations of my life, and accept graciously 
the resolutions which I place at Thy feet. 
With all and in all things not to be directed 
by the eye of the body, nor of the intellect, 
but to view persons, things, occupations, and 
events with the eye of faith only, and like 
St. Aloysius to shed the light of eternity 
over them, frequently asking, “Of what use 
is this for eternity ?” 

Prayer after Meditation. 


MEDITATION III. 

The Barren Fig-Tree. 

Eirst Prelude.— Represent to yourself 
Jesus Christ, who speaks with great empha¬ 
sis : “Every tree that bringeth not forth good 
fruit, shall be cut down and thrown into the 
fire” (Matt. vii. 19). 


FEBRUARY. 


33 


Second Prelude. —Ask the Lord for 
grace to make a good meditation, and to be 
convinced of the necessity of performing 
good works. 

First Point. “A Certain Man Had a 
Fig-tree Planted in His Vineyard, and 
He Came Seeking Fruit on it, and Found 
Hone” (Luke xiii 6).—Represent to your¬ 
self the beautiful tree of which Our Lord 
speaks in the parable. It is planted in fertile 
soil, capable of yielding a rich crop. For, 
behold all around numerous other trees laden 
with magnificent fruit. This tree likewise 
has strong limbs, rich foliage, perhaps deep 
roots. . . what is lacking then?.. . Fruit.. . 
its branches, leaves, roots, serve no purpose 
—it is barren. 

Is this fig-tree not my own picture ? God 
from the very beginning has planted me as a 
tree in the fertile soil of the Catholic Church, 
where nothing was lacking me. Jesus Christ 
has watered it with His tears and His blood; 
He gave me His holy Sacraments of Penance 
and the Holy Eucharist, which as fresh foun- 


34 


MEDITATION III. 


tains watered me and infused into me new, 
living sap. He gave me Christian parents 
and teachers to educate and, when needed, to 
chastise me. .. Perhaps I was hardly grown 
up when the Lord transplanted me to a chosen 
spot in His vineyard, into His special her¬ 
itage, the holy religious state, among His 
elect, where He Himself dwelleth among 
lilies, where more frequently than before He 
nourishes me with His holy flesh and blood, 
where I receive numerous instructions by 
readings, meditations, where I am protected 
from the poisonous breath of the world. . . “I 
have planted a chosen vineyard,” says the 
Lord, “and I fenced it in and picked the 
stones out of it, and planted it with choicest 
vines, and built a tower in the midst thereof.” 

What care on my account, O my God! 
Justly Thou sayest, “What is there that I 
ought to do for My vineyard, that I have not 
done for it?”. . . And what have I brought 
forth ?. . . 

Alas, perhaps, but leaves, resolutions, sham 
virtues.. . And, oh, if I had been barren 


FEBRUARY. 


35 


only!. . . “My vineyard brought forth wild 
grapes’’ (Is. v.). For this I must not blame 
the soil, for I am surrounded by many trees 
laden with the fruits of humility, of zeal, of 
prayer and modesty. They are my sisters in 
religion, who receive no more grace than I, 
who receive no more care than I. IIow 
humiliating for me to have been planted in 
the same fruitful soil, to receive the same 
attentive love and, nevertheless, not to yield 
the same fruit! Is that my gratitude, O 
Lord, for my call to the true faith and the 
religious life? My Jesus, mercy! 

Second Point. “And He Said to the 
Dresser of the Vineyard: Behold for 
These Three Years I Come Seeking Fruit 
on This Fig-tree, and I Find Hone. Cut 
it Down Therefore; Why Cumberetii it 
the Ground?” (Luke xiii. 7.)—Is this not 
justly deserved? Certainly; yet do I not 
condemn myself? Three years ?.. . You say 
too little, O Lord. Has it not been a much 
longer time during which Thou hast sought 
fruit on me? It has been many years since 


36 


MEDITATION III. 


I was admitted to Thy holy Church in Bap¬ 
tism, and I have been long perhaps in Thy 
select garden, in the convent, and what do 
you find in me ?. . . Of what kind are my 
thoughts, my wishes, my works? Alas, my 
thoughts are often distracted, my wishes and 
longings terrestrial, my works, occupations, 
readings, meditations, confessions, Holy 
Communions, superficial and imperfect, very 
imperfect! 

Cut it down, therefore! Will the Lord, who 
comes daily to visit His vineyard, to inspect 
whether His tree is bringing forth blossoms 
and fruit, not grow angry with me when He 
beholds that so much care has been bestowed 
to no avail ? Will it not afflict Him to see the 
hope He placed in me frustrated ? Perhaps He 
has spoken already to His servant, Death: 
“Tear out the roots of this barren tree. What 
is its use in the vineyard of the convent ? An¬ 
other shall occupy her place more worthily.”... 
I have deserved this sentence, O my God; for 
I have not corresponded to Thy fatherly in¬ 
tentions. I ought to have co-operated with 


FEBRUARY. 


37 


so many graces, and for myself and others 
brought forth fruits of salvation. Instead 
of sanctifying the souls of others, I have not 
even sanctified my own. Oh, how much good 
a zealous religious would have done in my 
stead, how many souls she would have sancti¬ 
fied by her zeal, edified by her example, saved 
by her prayers! Verily, O Lord, if Thou 
punishest me, and placest another in my 
stead, I can but exclaim, “Thou art just, O 
Lord, and Thy judgment is right” (Ps. 
cxviii. 137). 

But deal mercifully with me, according to 
Thy great mercy, and according to the multi¬ 
tude of Thy mercies blot out my iniquities. 

Third Point. “But IIe Answering, 
Said to Him: Lord, Let it Alone, This 
Year Also, Until I Dig About it, and Fer¬ 
tilize it. And if Happily it Bear Fruit: 

BUT IF NOT, THEN AFTER THAT TlIOU SHALT 

Cut it Down” (Luke xiii. 8,9).—In His in¬ 
finite mercy the Lord grants what the vine¬ 
dresser so ardently asks for the tree: “An¬ 
other year, Lord, and I will do my very 


MEDITATION III. 


best.”.. . Who is it that has interceded for 
me ? Is it not you, my dear Mother Mary, 
aided by my guardian angel and my holy 
patrons ? “I do not doubt,” says St. Al- 
phonsus, “that all good comes to us through 
Mary.” My soul, perhaps it is the last 
grace that she can obtain for you; perhaps 
she has gone security for you. She will mul¬ 
tiply her inspirations and graces, she will 
procure for you richer means of fruitfulness... 
But mind, use this time, that which is offered 
thee; do not disappoint thy Saviour and thy 
good Mother.. . 

O Lord, what wilt Thou have me do? 
Speak, Thy handmaid listens. “Renew thy 
heart and thy spirit,” Thou tellest me by 
Thy prophet (Ezech. xviii. 31). My heart 
is filled with earthly wishes, disinclined to 
mortification and self-denial; my mind is 
distracted, and occupied with all but the one 
thing it ought to be about: with Thee and the 
care for my perfection. Yet Thou, O Lord, 
create a pure heart in me and in my interior 
renew the perfect spirit (Ps. 1. 12). I have 


FEBRUARY. 


39 


said it: “To-day I begin” (Ps. lxxvi. 11). 
The devil wants to assure me and make me 
believe that I have plenty of time to bring 
forth fruit. Grant, 0 Lord, that I do not 
lend my ear to his inspirations, but penetrate 
my flesh with Thy fear (Ps. cxviii. 120). 

And thou, dearest Mother, whose inter¬ 
cession has so often obtained a postponement 
for me, help me to profit by these tokens of 
love. Long enough have I been a barren tree; 
grant that I bring forth fruit, which thy 
divine Son so justly and ardently expects 
from me. 

Prayer after Meditation . 


MARCH. 


MEDITATION I. 

Our First and Our Last Holy Communion. 

First Prelude. —Imagine a richly 
adorned altar, numerous candles burning 
thereon as on a first Communion day—then 
a sick bed and next to it a crucifix between 
two burning candles, as is usual at the ad¬ 
ministration of the last Sacraments. 

Second Prelude. —Ask for the grace by 
the remembrance of your first, and the re¬ 
presentation of your last holy Communion to 
be incited always to approach the sacred 
table as devoutly as possible. 

First Point. Our First Holy Com¬ 
munion. —Go back in spirit to that happy 
day, many years ago, when you were allowed 
to receive your Lord and God for the first 
time. Recall to vour mind that dav and all 
40 



MARCH. 


41 


the accompanying circumstances. How long 
we had yearned for that happy hour, and 
when others, older than we, were admitted 
to the sacred banquet, we even felt a sort of 
holy envy. Oh! when would that happiness 
be ours ? At last the happy day dawned. 
But what made it so beautiful? Hot the 
preparations and the activity at home and 
in church before the great feast, not the con¬ 
gratulations of the family and friends, not 
the clothes, the bits of jewelry that were 
presented to us—no; but that God deigned 
to descend into our heart, which He had 
never visited before; that He chose this heart 
to be a crib in which to rest, a throne from 
which to rule as a king. Recall likewise the 
preparation for our first Holy Communion. 
Days and months of instruction and prayer 
preceded it. Hever did we go more carefully 
to confession, or take better resolutions for 
the future than at that time. Our heart was 
pure, burning with the desire to be united 
with God. We prayed with great fervor and 
devotion, our faith was lively, the sensation 


42 


MEDITATION I. 


of our unworthiness keenly affected us. Was 
it not that our heart at that time was a well 
cultivated soil in which all virtues sprouted 
and blossomed, and of which Our Lord took 
possession with great pleasure? 

When He had come, when we could say 
at last, “The Lord is mine and I am His,” 
how we thanked Him and entreated Him 
never to leave us, that we might always re¬ 
main pure and zealous! How we enjoyed 
the happiness, the bliss that was ours on 
that day! Alas, O my God! how shortlived 
was that happiness!. . . My Jesus, mercy! 
Every following Communion ought to have 
advanced us in the love of God; have we even 
preserved the love we felt that day? Where 
is the careful preparation, the hearty thanks¬ 
giving of that day? Where the purity of 
heart that illumined us then? Our Com¬ 
munions have become more numerous, it is 
true, but as to our devotion, our love—have 
these increased ? Have we progressed in virtue 
in corresponding to these graces? O my 
Jesus, Thou art not changed, but I am no 


MARCH. 


43 


longer the same. Come back, 0 happy senti¬ 
ments of my first Holy Communion, and I 
shall draw with joy from the fountains of my 
Redeemer! 

Second Point. Our Last HoLy Com¬ 
munion. —Imagine having reached that 
period when our earthly life approaches its 
end and the hour draws nigh when body and 
soul separate. Do not think of this moment 
as being far distant, but quite close at hand. 
I shall be lying on my deathbed, surrounded 
by my sisters in religion. The candles at the 
side of the crucifix are lighted, the little bell 
announces that He who is to judge me ap¬ 
proaches to visit me for the last time. My 
soul, what feelings does the voice of the little 
bell awake in you? Pear, confidence, love? 
“Peace to this house, and to all that dwell 
therein,” is said by the priest, and, carried 
by the hands of His servant, my Lord and 
God enters. Oh! then grant us peace, O 
Lord, for there is nobody that fights for us, 
except Thou, O Lord. Some one says the 
Confiteor in my stead, the “mea maxima 


44 


MEDITATION /. 


culpa” resounds in my ears, for I have sinned 
much in thoughts, words, and actions, 
through my fault, my most grievous fault. 
The priest in the name of God promises me 
pardon, ’ mercy, and absolution. Will that 
be a reassurance for me ?.. . Then he shows 
me the most holy body of the Lord and says, 
“Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away 
the sins of the world.’’ Oh, then take away 
likewise my sins, which are so numerous! At 
sight of eternity, how I shall wish never to 
have sinned! How I shall wish always to have 
received Holy Communion with due prepara¬ 
tion! “Lord, I am not worthy that Thou 
shouldst enter under my roof; say but the 
word and my soul shall be healed.” And then 
the priest says: “Receive, O Sister, the viati¬ 
cum of the body of Our Lord Jesus Christ, 
that He preserve thee from evil and lead thy 
soul to life eternal. Amen.” Will not that 
tepidity in which I now live and with which I 
so frequently receive the body of Our Lord 
then fill me with fright, when I remember the 
judgment seat before which I am to appear 


MARCH. 


45 


the holiness that I could have attained, but 
failed to reach, the fruit that I could have 
brought forth, but have not produced? O 
Lord, help me to shake off at once this tepid¬ 
ity, in order that I may he at ease then. 
Concluding, the priest says: “Holy God, al¬ 
mighty, eternal Father and Lord, we ask 
Thee with confidence, grant, that this our 
Sister, who has received the most sacred 
body of Thy Son Jesus Christ, be strength¬ 
ened thereby in body and soul unto life ever¬ 
lasting.” The priest withdraws. Jesus has 
for the last time visited me, blessed me. The 
candles are extinguished. The sound of the 
little bell faintly strikes my ear as yet, then 
dies away. I am alone with my Jesus. My 
soul, thank the Lord many thousand times, 
thy God, thy King and Judge, that His love 
urges Him to visit thee in this manner, be¬ 
fore He enters into judgment upon thee. Oh, 
how much depends upon receiving Him most 
devoutly, most worthily at this important 
transition. Will my sentiments at that 
moment be better than they are in health? 


46 


MEDITATION 1. 


Will my last Holy Communion atone for all 
my former tepidity ? Being ill, what are we 
able to do? “As we live, so we die,” says 
St. Augustine. My soul, if at that moment 
you wish to feel easy, receive every Holy 
Communion as you received your first one, or 
as you—lying on your death-bed, in sight of 
your judgment—would wish to have received 
it. O Jesus, to-day I wish to receive Thee in 
this manner. As the hart panteth after the 
fountains of water, so my soul longeth for 
Thee! Through the intercession of the 
Most Blessed Virgin, of St. Joseph, of St. 
Barbara, grant me now, I entreat Thee, that 
lively faith, that profound feeling of my un¬ 
worthiness, that sincere contrition, that ar-' 
dent love, that I should wish to have at the 
hour of my death. 

Come then, O Jesus, come into my heart! 

Prayer after Meditation. 


MARCH. 


47 


MEDITATION II. 

Mortification. 

First Prelude. —Imagine our dear Lord 
in any mystery of His holy Passion, in His 
circumcision, on Mount Olivet, at the column, 
on the cross. 

Second Prelude. —Ask for grace rightly 
to understand the advantage, yea, the neces¬ 
sity of mortification. 

First Point. We Must Not Neglect 
Exterior Mortification. —Jesus Christ, 
our Model, accepted and willingly bore not 
only mental, but also bodily suffering. Re¬ 
member Bethlehem, Egypt, Nazareth, Cal¬ 
vary ! All the saints have loved and practised 
exterior mortification. Not the holy Church 
alone, but our Holy Rule likewise prescribes 
exterior mortification and controls it by wise 
restrictions. Every man feels within him¬ 
self a law which is in conflict with the law 
of God, an inclination, a proneness to evil, 
which can only be suppressed by mortifica- 


48 


MEDITATION II. 


tion. This mortification is very meritorious 
before God. It was this which made St. 
Peter of Alcantara avow to St. Teresa after 
his death, “O blessed penance, which merited 
for me so great a glory.” With God we have 
a great debt to pay off on account of the sins 
of our whole life, for, forgiven though they 
may be, they have entailed temporal punish¬ 
ment. What follows from all this for me ? 
That I should deem myself happy if the 
marks of the cross and the thorns are im¬ 
printed on my whole life; that, consequently, 
I should derive profit from all occasions of 
dying to my flesh, thus to deaden in me the 
viper of self-love. Is that not becoming for 
me ? Or can a weak body stand under a head 
crowned with thorns ? ITow foolish I am to 
allow so many chances of gathering merit, of 
atoning for my sins, to escape unavailed. 
Nature, of course, says: “This speech is hard; 
who can listen to it!” But grace diffuses 
such rich consolation over mortification that 
its bitterness is changed into sweetness! 

How have I taken to heart this truth before 


MARCH. 


49 


now ? It remains true great austerities are 
forbidden from higher motives, but is this 
restriction not frequently a pretext to grant 
too great a liberty to my senses ? How do I 
guard my eyes, my ears.. . my taste.. . my 
feeling ?. . . How do I bear exertion and 
fatigue, early rising, a hard couch, heat and 
cold, hunger and thirst, fast and abstinence ? 
How, above all, bodily ailments that God 
sends me ?. . . Illness and weakness which 
temporarily or perhaps continually trouble 
me ?.. . O my God, what beautiful occasions 
for mortification and penance! what sources 
of merit! what pearls, that I have left un¬ 
gathered ! Forgive me, O my Lord, and grant 
me the spirit of mortification and penance. 

Second Point. Interior Mortifica¬ 
tion is to be Practised Above All.— FTo- 
body that is desirous of advancing in virtue 
can neglect interior mortification. Weighty 
reasons may dispense us from exterior morti¬ 
fications, though never from interior; all, 
without any exception, need its practice. All 
teachers of the spiritual life declare it a 


50 


MEDITATION II. 


principle that we must love to practise in¬ 
terior mortification, and that in particular 
which God imposes upon us; as being the 
most meritorious and most pleasing in His 
sight. Without interior mortification there is 
no true virtue; even the most austere exterior 
penance without it is but a sham virtue, a 
corpse, a body without a soul. A hundred 
occasions are daily offered to us for this 
mortification; in reality the whole religious 
life is composed of it. We must die to 
our will—by subjecting it perfectly to the 
precepts of our Holy Rule and the will of 
our Superiors—by waging war against our 
evil inclinations—by choosing preferably that 
which is against our nature and wounds our 
self-love the more keenly. We must mortify 
our intellect, by subjecting our judgment 
blindly to our Superiors, by not obstinately 
fighting for our opinion, by curbing our 
curiosity; further, by never indulging with 
free will in vain, worldly remembrances, or 
in totally useless affairs tending to our glory 
or feeding our self-love; by never dwelling 


MARCH. 


51 


on thoughts pertaining to injuries or wrong 
received, or ever giving way to aversion. 

We must mortify our heart by regulating, 
moderating, and keeping within proper 
bounds the love with which we love creatures 
and in a certain measure have to love them. 
That our soul feels a natural repugnance 
against this is a consequence of original sin, 
but when we desire to acquire the self-control 
necessary in order to avoid sin and practise 
virtue, then this mortification is indispens¬ 
able. What efforts have I made for its ac¬ 
quisition ? 

What should I do in case of a choice 
between two offices, the one agreeable and 
honorable, the other wearisome and humili¬ 
ating? How do I bear contradiction, when 
I deem myself right? How do I conduct 
myself, if my work does not succeed, progress 
smoothly; if I am interrupted in an occupa¬ 
tion or in prayer; when against my will and 
inclination I am bidden to change my office 
or my abode ? If my help is changed, or my 
self-love wounded in any way? 


52 


MEDITATION II. 


0 my God, in all these points I have to 
accuse myself. But now I lay at Thy feet 
the firm resolution to devote myself more 
zealously to interior mortification. Call my 
attention to it when occasions offer, and grant 
me the strength to make use of them. Re¬ 
mind me then of the words of the devout 
Thomas a Kempis: “In as much as thou usest 
violence to thyself, thou shalt advance in 
virtueand the other passage of Holy 
Scripture: “If thou give to thy soul her de¬ 
sires, she will make thee a joy to thy enemies 
(Eccl. xviii. 31). 

O Blessed Virgin, St. Joseph, and all ye 
dear saints, who have so heroically practised 
mortification, help me to follow your ex¬ 
ample. 

Prayer after Meditation. 


MARCH. 


53 


MEDITATION III. 

The Worth of Our Soul . 

First Prelude.— Represent to yourself 
Jesus Christ saying to His apostles with 
great earnestness, “What doth it profit a man, 
if he gain the whole world, and suffer the 
loss of his soul?” (Matt. xvi. 26). 

Second Prelude. —A devout prayer for 
light rightly to know the value of our soul. 

First Point. Our Soul is so Very 
Precious Because it Was Created 
to the Likeness of God. —Consider 
how we, as it were, discover God in our¬ 
selves. God is eternal—our soul is immortal; 
God is wise, the source of wisdom and in¬ 
tellect—we likewise may say, “Bless the 
Lord, who hath given me understanding” 
(Ps. xv. 7). God is a pure Spirit, our soul 
too is a spirit. It is the breath of the God¬ 
head : “He breathed into him the breath of 
life” (Gen. ii. 7 ). It is not simply His work, 
His creature—it is more: it is His likeness, 


54 


MEDITATION III. 


a beam of His glory. Who shall succeed in 
describing the glory which sanctifying grace 
bestows on the soul ? Then God unites with 
it, takes up His abode in it; it is beautiful 
by His beauty, rich by His wealth, holy by 
His sanctity. St. John Chrysostom says: 
“Place next to the sun a soul in the state of 
sanctifying grace, and the lustre of the sun 
shall vanish.” 

O my God, what a dignity! Thus was my 
soul after the purifying waters of holy Bap¬ 
tism had been poured over it. Yet, if I were 
to return to my God at this moment ? Have 
I not frequently sullied the nuptial garment 
by sin, disfigured and darkened the likeness 
of God, if not totally effaced it? 

I am more solicitous for my honor and 
health than for the beauty of my soul! The 
least stain on my good name is intolerable; 
to save my health I willingly submit to 
take disagreeable medicines. Yet, alas, O my 
God, how small is the care for Thy likeness 
in my soul! What answer shall I give when 
in judgment Thou shalt ask, “Whose is this 


MARCH. 


image ?” (Matt. xxii. 20.) If I but had the 
same zeal to adorn my soul with virtue as I 
have to enrich my mind with useful knowl¬ 
edge ! Pardon me, O God, all I have 
neglected until now. Purify my heart and 
renew within me the right spirit. Give to 
my soul its lost splendor and grant I may 
never darken it again by sin. 

Second Point. Our Soul has been 
Ransomed by the Blood of Jesus Christ. 
—The value of things is rated according to 
the price that has been paid for them. Oh, 
how great, then, must the worth of our soul 
be! Hot by perishable gold or silver has 
it been ransomed, but by the immeasur¬ 
able price of the blood of Jesus Christ, the 
Son of God. 

“O man,” a Father of the Church ex¬ 
claims, “if thou wilt know the worth of thy 
soul, ask thy God, who has redeemed thee; 
behold His labors, His sweat, His wounds, 
His pains, His blood, His death. He shall 
answer thee, ‘So much art thou worth.’ One 
drop of His precious blood has more value 


56 


MEDITATION III. 


than all the treasures of the world; for thy 
soul He shed a stream of this holy blood.” 

If I had but known how properly to prize 
this great treasure! If I had not trampled 
upon His holy blood by my sins! 

O my God, if the thought of this ransom 
for my soul fills me with fear concerning the 
account, it fills me no less with hope. Do not 
look upon my sins, O Lord, but upon the 
blood of Thy Son, that He has shed for me. 
It does not call down vengeance, but grace 
and mercy. O Jesus, Thou hast offered all 
Thy blood in exchange for our souls; come 
to the aid of Thy servants, whom Thou hast 
redeemed by Thy precious blood. “O Blood 
of Jesus Christ, how worthy Thou art of our 
veneration! On the altar Thou art our drink, 
on the cross our ransom, in heaven our inter¬ 
cessor” (St. Bernard). 

Third Point. Our Soul is Destined to 
Possess God Eternally. —Earthly goods 
and pleasures can never fill our heart; it is 
too great for them. St. Stanislaus therefore 
said, “I am bora for something higher.” 


MARCH. 


57 


This higher thing for which we are destined 
is the possession of God. “I myself,” says 
the Lord, “shall be thy exceeding great re¬ 
ward” (Gen. xv. l).Here on earth even, G«d 
would take possession of our soul, not partly, 
but wholly. He would rule in it, as on His 
throne, gradually to unite us to Himself and 
to make us eternally happy. My soul is in¬ 
deed to partake of the happiness of God. 

Is it, then, right if I divide my heart, my 
inclinations, my soul, between God and 
creatures? Is that not highly unbecoming, 
dangerous even ? When God sees that 
earthly desires after honor, enjoyment, and 
sensual pleasures fill my soul, He will cer¬ 
tainly withdraw from me, for He and the 
world can not dwell together in one heart. 
“Our God,” says the Prophet, “ is a jealous 
God, who allows no adversary,” consequently 
is it not unaccountable if I sully my soul 
with the excrement of earthly wishes and 
cares, destined as it is to shine in the glory 
of the Godhead for all eternity ? 

O my God, too long have I done this, but 


58 


MEDITATION III. 


now I see into my wrong. Pardon me. From 
now on my greatest care shall be to prepare 
and adorn my sonl for Thy eternal possession. 
Help me in this endeavor; help me above all 
to sanctify the work and cares that my voca¬ 
tion imposes. Grant that I use every occasion 
to acquire merit, for according to the measure 
of my merit shall I have share in Thee. Place 
Thyself like a seal upon my heart, that no 
inordinate love for creatures creep in! Place 
Thyself like a seal on my arm, that I perform 
my work singly and solely for Thee, 0 my 
God. 

Prayer after Meditation. 


APRIL. 


MEDITATION I. 

Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament our 
Benefactor. 

First Prelude. —Behold Jesus in the 
cenacle before the Last Supper; His coun¬ 
tenance beaming with love; He thanks the 
Father, then says, “Take ye and eat.” 

Second Prelude. —An ardent prayer to 
Jesus for grace rightly to know what benefit 
He bestows on us in Holy Communion and 
what we ought to give Him in return. 

First Point. Jesus Bestows a Great 
Benefit on Us in Holy Communion.— 
The circumstances accompanying the insti¬ 
tution of the Blessed Sacrament show me the 
greatness of this benefit. What does J esus give 
59 



60 


MEDITATION I. 


us in it? Himself, with all that He pos¬ 
sesses; His merits, which are immense; His 
divine flesh and blood, with which He 
nourishes and refreshes us; His most holy 
soul and His adorable Deity. O miracle! 
O mystery! He, whom heaven and earth 
can not contain, is pleased to abide in my 
little, narrow heart! 

Who is it here that gives? The smallest 
gift becomes valuable when a high personage 
presents it. Here there is no small gift, but 
the most precious, and God’s infinite Majesty 
presents it to us. . . 0 wonderful Gift! O 
adorable Giver! 

O ye holy angels, help us to praise and 
glorify the Lord. To whom does He give 
Himself? To man, to His own creature, yea, 
to all men, even the most miserable, even to 
me, who am not worthy to serve Him. O 
wonderful mystery! The Master comes as 
food to a poor, wretched slave! I should 
not wonder at Jesus giving Himself only to 
His saints or His representatives on earth, 
hut even on me, who have not preserved the 


APRIL. 


61 


garment of baptismal innocence, He bestows 
Himself. He gives Himself to numberless 
ungrateful men. At the institution of the 
Most Holy Sacrament He foresaw all the 
desecration and profanations that would be 
perpetrated upon Him in Holy Communion, 
and nevertheless to these same ones He gives 
Himself, forgetful, as it were, of His own 
words: “Give not that which is holy to dogs, 
neither cast ye your pearls before swine” 
(Matt. vii. 6). 

When did He give Himself ? On the eve of 
His Passion, the night before He was deliv¬ 
ered up to His enemies (1 Cor. xi. 23). It 
was the redeeming of His promise: “I will 
not leave you orphans” (John xiv. 18), the 
last and strongest proof of His love, the con¬ 
tinuous commemoration of all that He was to 
suffer for us on Calvary, on the cross. 

“0 commemoration of the death of Our 
Lord,” exclaims St. Thomas of Aquin, “O 
living Bread, that gives life to the world, 
grant that my soul live by thee and taste 
all thy sweetness.” Besides, He does not 


62 


MEuITATlON I. 


give this life-giving bread only once in my 
life, but as often as I approach the holy table, 
the number of my Communions being prac¬ 
tically uncountable. 

Why does He give Himself to me? Be¬ 
cause He loves me. “With desire have I 
desired to eat this Pasch with you” (Luke 
xxii. 15). “It is my delight to be with the 
children of men” (Prov. viii. 31). “And if 
I shall send them away fasting to their 
home, they will faint in the way, for some of 
them came from afar off” (Mark viii. 3). 
Have you, my soul, these truths before your 
eyes? You believe them, whence, then, the 
little care in preparation and thanksgiving ? 
O Jesus, pardon me. I will do better. “Lord, 
I believe; help Thou my unbelief” (Mark 
ix. 23). Increase the faith of all those that 
believe in Thee. 

Second Point. What Should We Give 
Jesus? What Shall I Render the Lord 
for All That He Has Done to Me? 
(Ps. cxv. 12.)—All that we are and 
have. Yet, O Jesus, what a difference be- 


APRIL. 


6 : 


tween Thy gift and ours. O that I knew 
Thee and knew myself! If we were rich in 
earthly things, we might offer them to Jesus 
in token of our gratitude; but, by an un¬ 
merited grace of Our Lord, we are called to 
holy poverty. We possess as yet body and 
soul, and these at least God requires as a 
pledge of our thanksgiving. We should give 
Him our body, by making good use of our 
senses. Do I use my ears, eyes, and tongue 
singly and solely for Jesus? Or do these 
help me to wander away from Him ? Further, 
w r e should give Him our body by bearing 
patiently all pain, sufferings, mortification. 
Our body has daily something to bear 
through heat or cold, hunger or thirst, ail¬ 
ment or weakness. How do I bear all this ? 
St. Paul says, “Always bearing about in our 
body the mortification of Jesus, that the life 
also of Jesus may be made manifest in our 
bodies” (2 Cor. iv. 10). 

Our Lord also desires our soul, with all 
its faculties: our intellect, by a lively, humble 
faith that in all things seeks, finds, and 


64 


MEDITATION II. 


honors Jesus. Our will, by a speedy, joyful, 
simple obedience. Have I given my soul to 
God in this way? Even if I had given my¬ 
self in this way, my sacrifice were but small, 
and I withdraw so much from it to bestow 
on creatures! 

O my God, grant that we belong to Thee 
wholly at least before our death, that we may 
be able to appear before Thy judgment-seat 
without fear. In this intention I will offer 
my Communion to-day. 

Prayer after Meditation. 


MEDITATION II. 

Hope. 

First Prelude. —Imagine yourself be¬ 
fore the judgment-seat of God, and all your 
works placed in the scale. Your good works 
would surely be too light—if the merits of 
Jesus Christ were not added thereto. 


APRIL. 


65 


Second Prelude. —An ardent prayer for 
a firm, steadfast trust in God’s goodness and 
mercy. 

First Point. Why Must I Hope?— 
Because God’s goodness and mercy are in¬ 
finite. Is He not the Father of mercy and 
of all consolation? Ever so many sinners 
have hoped in this mercy, and God has not 
rejected them. He saved David, pardoned 
Mary Magdalen, opened paradise to the 
penitent thief, and did not reject Peter after 
his fall. Would not all of us be past redemp¬ 
tion if His mercy were not boundless? O 
God, Thou canst grant mercy in this world 
only, for after death Thy justice reigns 
alone. Pardon me then while there is time; 
manifest in me the greatness of Thy mercy 
as later on Thou wilf deal according to the 
greatness of Thy justice. God is faithful in 
His promises. Has He not said by the mouth 
of St. Paul, “God is true” (Eom. iii. 4), 
and by the Prophet, “Neither will I profane 
My covenant: and the words that proceed 
from My mouth I will not make void” 


06 


MEDITATION II. 


(Ps. lxxxviii. 35) ? “Wash yourselves, be 
clean, take away the evil of your devices from 
My eyes... And then come, and accuse Me, 
saith the Lord: if your sins be as scarlet, they 
shall be made as white as snow: and if they 
be red as crimson, they shall be white as 
wool” (Isa. i. 16). 

How is it possible to fear after such 
promises? What dost thou fear, my soul, 
and why dost thou afflict me ? Hope in the 
Lord, who gives thee such good promises, 
and to prove the sincerity of His words gives 
thee a pledge of immense value, His only-be¬ 
gotten Son, Jesus Christ, and with Him all 
that thou canst wish and desire! How much 
hope the only-begotten Son of God has stirred 
in me! He has instituted the holy Sacra¬ 
ment of Penance and the Holy Eucharist 
for me, He has worked and suffered and shed 
His blood to the last drop for me. Oh, if 
my parents (whether still in this life or al¬ 
ready with God) could save me, how assured 
should I be, knowing their love for me! Yet 
what is parental love beside that of Jesus 


APRIL. 


G7 


for us? Pardon, 0 my Saviour, the little 
confidence I have had until now. Away 
from me, then, all ye diffident thoughts, I 
have the Passion of my Jesus, His merits, 
I am united with Him by my indissoluble 
vows, and but to-day I received Him into my 
heart, Him, the Pledge of eternal salvation. 

Second Point. How Must My Hope 
Be ?—To be a strengthening consolation, my 
hope must be steadfast and active. Many 
hope as long as everything is well with them 
in this life, but they lose hope at the time of 
tribulation and darkness. Others hope, it is 
true, but their confidence is presumptuous, 
so to say, as they imagine that God, who 
created us without our co-operation, will also 
save us without our co-operation. Has it 
not been so with me sometimes ? When 
Satan, the world, and the flesh endanger the 
bark of my soul and the waves of temptation 
threaten to swallow it up, am I not over¬ 
powered by anxiety and do I not fear for 
my vocation, my salvation, just as if God 
had abandoned me ? Where is then my hope 


68 


MEDITATION II. 


in God’s love and goodness, in His infallible 
promises and in the merits of Jesus Christ? 
Do I not yield to an inordinate anxiety in. 
regard to my former confessions and par¬ 
doned sins ? O my soul, God has given you 
the benefit of a religious vocation, has ad¬ 
mitted you to the holy vows,—would this 
good God, after so many graces and benefits, 
not have pardoned your sins? It is lack of 
hope if you do not forget what, according to 
God’s express words, you ought to forget. O 
God, give me that sweet confidence which 
does not rest on my own merits, but on Thy 
love and Thy promises. Be Thou the haven 
in which the bark of my soul may securely 
rest. . .Let it be thus more than ever when 
I am lying on my death-bed, and am assaulted 
by the devil, who endeavors to rob me of the 
hope in Thy mercy and to plunge me into 
despair. .. 

My hope must also be active, that is, ac¬ 
companied by good works. For what would 
it avail if I hoped in God but failed to co¬ 
operate with the grace of God? My works 


APRIL . 


69 


in themselves have no worth; but God, never¬ 
theless, requires them from me, and without 
them I can not be saved nor become a saint. 
My soul, hast thou nothing to reproach thy¬ 
self with on this point ?. . . If thou art faith¬ 
less in the observance of thy holy vows, of 
Holy Rule, Office, if deliberately thou dost 
indulge in venial sins, yet art without fear 
for thy perseverance and thy salvation, then 
thy hope is presumptuous. 

O my God, at times my confidence is un¬ 
steady and weak, at others presumptuous; 
when will the words of Thy servant Ignatius 
penetrate me: “Confide in God, as if every¬ 
thing depended on Him, and from your side 
do all that you can, as if everything depended 
on yourself.” 

O my God, grant to all of us this grace! 

Prayer after Meditation . 


70 


MEDITATION III. 


MEDITATION III. 

The Happiness of the Religious Vocation. 

First Prelude. —Listen with devotion to 
the mild words of Our Saviour: “Fear not, 
little flock, for it has pleased your Father to 
give you a kingdom” (Luke xii. 32). 

Second Prelude.— Ask for grace to be 
filled with gratitude and new zeal for per¬ 
fection by the knowledge of our happiness in 
being called to the religious life. 

First Point. A Religious Vocation is 
a Happiness Because it Withdraws Us 
from Many Dangers. —Consider the w r ords 
which Jesus, full of pity, spoke: “Woe to 
the world because of scandals” (Matt, xviii. 
7). Further, how St. John, enlightened by 
the Holy Ghost, describes the spirit of the 
world as “Concupiscence of the eyes, lust of 
the flesh, and pride of life.” How St. An¬ 
thony, seeing the whole world filled with 
snares, exclaims: “My God, how can I be 
saved?” I was exposed to many of these 


APRIL. 


71 


dangers. What a happiness to have escaped 
them and to be safe within the sacred walls 
of the convent. What would have become of 
me if I had stayed amidst all those dangers ? 
For, alas, how many times did I not offend 
God in the short time I was in the world? 
Perhaps I should he ripe for hell now, or 
on the road to become so!. . . I have re¬ 
nounced pleasures of the world, it is true, but 
instead I enjoy the peace of the children of 
God, of which St. Paul says that it sur¬ 
passed all understanding (Philip, iv. 7). I 
do not possess earthly goods, which people in 
the world desire eagerly, yet all the more 
freely can my heart be raised to God; for St. 
Bernard says: “When one possesses earthly 
goods, they load the heart; when one loves 
them, they stain the conscience; when one 
loses them, they afflict the mind” (Ep. cv.). I 
must renounce my own will, but I now walk 
securely under the sweet yoke of obedience. 
Do I prize sufficiently my holy vocation and 
thank God for it every day ? Am I perhaps 
so ungrateful that when difficulties occur I 


74 


MEDITATION III. 


for He who is mighty hath done great things 
to me.” 

Have I sufficiently understood my happi¬ 
ness until now? I could justly doubt it, 
having fulfilled the duties of my holy calling 
so carelessly. Yet could God have granted 
me a greater benefit outside of holy Baptism, 
than the call to a religious life ? St. Thomas 
of Aquin answers: “Ho.” Does not special 
glory await me in heaven ? “Every one that 
hath left house or brethren, or sisters, or 
father or mother, or wife, or children, or 
lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a 
hundred fold, and shall possess life everlast¬ 
ing” (Matt. xix. 29). Has not my soul be¬ 
come the spouse of Christ ? He loves me with 
a special love, and will celebrate with me 
the celestial nuptials. St. Bernard tells me 
that in the convent I live more purely, fall 
less often, rise easier, receive richer grace and 
shall die more placidly. 

O my God, how ungrateful should I be if 
all these benefits did not move me! Grant 
that the remembrance of these gifts may 


APRIL. 


75 


strengthen me in all difficulties and support 
me when courage begins to fail. Woe to me 
if after all this I continue lukewarm and 
slothful! Lord, I do not only entreat Thee 
to grant that I live in Thy house all the days 
of my life, but also that I live as behooves 
a faithful, grateful spouse. Holy Mary, 
Mother of God, intercede for me with thy 
Son. Amen. 

Prayer after Meditation . 


MAY. 


MEDITATION I. 

'Jesus Sought, Found and Kept by Mary. 

First Prelude. —Represent to your mind 
our dear Mother Mary, afflicted at first, then 
rejoicing—seeking and finding Jesus, and 
how she on her return to Nazareth never for 
an instant loses Him from sight. 

Second Prelude. —Let us ask Mary that 
she teach us to seek, find and keep Jesus. 

First Point. Mary Seeks Jesus.— 
Consider why Mary seeks her lost Child so 
zealously. She knew who He was: the Cre¬ 
ator of heaven and earth in the form of a 
child. She loves Him as her God, her Sa¬ 
viour, and Redeemer, her only Son! She 
could not be happy without Him, and just 
because God in her Son had given her all, she 
76 



MAY. 


77 


felt as if she had lost all in Him. How do 
I follow this example of my holy Mother? 
Faith tells me that Jesus is present in the 
Holy Sacrament. Do I know Him suf¬ 
ficiently ; is my faith lively ? Oh that I were 
deeply penetrated by so much greatness under 
so insignificant an appearance!. . . Do I love 
Him as He desires to he loved by me? He 
has loved me to excess; He has exhausted the 
treasures of His love for my sake, and I ? O 
sweetest heart of Jesus, I implore, that I may 
ever love thee more and more... Do I feel 
unhappy without Jesus ? Alas, do not entire 
hours, yea days, pass by without a loving 
thought of His presence? Furthermore, was 
there perhaps a time in my life when I was 
entirely separated from Him by sin, although 
outwardly I seemed to live without re¬ 
morse ?.. . O dearest Mother Mary, imprint 
thy example deep on my heart. Thou didst 
retrace thy steps to seek 'Jesus—grant that 
I return to my first zeal. Thou didst shirk 
no trouble—oh that I may not shirk the 
trouble of keeping recollected, nor of zealous 


78 


MEDITATION I. 


preparation for Holy Communion. Thou 
didst seek Jesus in the Temple—grant that 
I seek Him there likewise, for I know He is 
there in the lowly form of bread; I know 
Him and desire to love Him more and more. 

Second Point. Mary Finds‘Jesus.— 
Whom does Mary find in the Temple ? The 
Love of her heart, the One that can fill her 
heart. She found the happiness, the sun¬ 
shine of her house, which without Jesus 
would have been dead and desolate. She 
found the blessing of her life, for on account 
of this Child she was the blessed among 
Women. O Jesus, hope of those who repent, 
how kind Thou art to those who ask, how good 
to those who seek Thee, but what to those 
Who find! 

Kejoice, O my soul, for you too have 
found Jesus. Here in the tabernacle, in 
your presence, He is really and substantially 
present. You can say with the spouse in 
the. Canticle: “I have found Him whom my 
soul loveth,” and with holy Church: “O 
Jesus, how sweet to think of Thee!” 


MAY. 


79 


Whom have I found ? Him who loves me 
so tenderly and who alone is worthy of love. 
“Oh,” St. Bernard exclaims, “know ye all 
Jesus, ask Him for His love, seek Him ever 
more ardently, for those who taste Him feel 
a new hunger, those that drink Him a greater 
thirst; they love nothing, they know nothing, 
they desire nothing but Jesus their love. I 
have found Him who alone can give me peace 
and joy. Without Him every food must be 
bitter to me, without Him the dwelling of 
my heart would be dead, desolate and for¬ 
saken.” “Stay with us, Lord,” I beg with 
St. Bernard; “stay with us—dispel the dark¬ 
ness of our mind.. . If Thou dost visit us, 
truth shines like a sun into our soul, then 
the whole world appears to me, oh, so small, 
so despicable, and the fire of love glows in 
my interior.” I have found Him who shall 
inundate me with graces and blessings. Here 
in the tabernacle are the sources of the Re¬ 
deemer, and I may draw from them with 
joy. But a few moments more, and He Him¬ 
self comes to me, to share with me His 


78 


MEDITATION I. 


preparation for Holy Communion. Thou 
didst seek Jesus in the Temple—grant that 
I seek Him there likewise, for I know He is 
there in the lowly form of bread; I know 
Him and desire to love Him more and more. 

Second Point. Mary Finds'Jesus.— 
Whom does Mary find in the Temple ? The 
Love of her heart, the One that can fill her 
heart. She found the happiness, the sun¬ 
shine of her house, which without Jesus 
would have been dead and desolate. She 
found the blessing of her life, for on account 
of this Child she was the blessed among 
Women. O Jesus, hope of those who repent, 
how kind Thou art to those who ask, how good 
to those who seek Thee, but what to those 
Who find! 

Rejoice, O my soul, for you too have 
found Jesus. Here in the tabernacle, in 
your presence, He is really and substantially 
present. You can say with the spouse in 
the Canticle: “I have found Him whom my 
soul loveth,” and with holy Church: “O 
Jesus, how sweet to think of Thee!” 


MAY. 


79 


Whom have I found ? Him who loves me 
so tenderly and who alone is worthy of love. 
“Oh,” St. Bernard exclaims, “know ye all 
Jesus, ask Him for His love, seek Him ever 
more ardently, for those who taste Him feel 
a new hunger, those that drink Him a greater 
thirst; they love nothing, they know nothing, 
they desire nothing but Jesus their love. I 
have found Him who alone can give me peace 
and joy. Without Him every food must be 
bitter to me, without Him the dwelling of 
my heart w T ould be dead, desolate and for¬ 
saken.” “Stay with us, Lord,” I beg with 
St. Bernard; “stay with us—dispel the dark¬ 
ness of our mind.. . If Thou dost visit us, 
truth shines like a sun into our soul, then 
the whole world appears to me, oh, so small, 
so despicable, and the fire of love glows in 
my interior.” I have found Him who shall 
inundate me with graces and blessings. Here 
in the tabernacle are the sources of the Re¬ 
deemer, and I may draw from them with 
joy. But a few moments more, and He Him¬ 
self comes to me, to share with me His 


80 


MEDITATION I. 


treasures of grace and blessings. “Hath He 
not also with Him given us all things V 9 
(Rom. viii. 32.) 

Third Point. Mary Keeps Jesus.— 
Consider what her motherly care suggests to 
Mary to prevent losing her treasure in fu¬ 
ture. She repeatedly looks after Him, keeps 
Him with her as much as possible—in Jeru¬ 
salem, on the way home, at Nazareth, every¬ 
where. Rest assured, dearest Mother, Jesus 
will not leave Thee again until His hour has 
come. Yet I must do that which Mary did. 
If presently Jesus descends into my heart, I 
can say with the spouse of the Canticle: I 
have Him and I will not let Him go” (Cant, 
iii. 4). Yet Satan will begrudge me my hap¬ 
piness and make all possible efforts to cause 
me to forget the presence of Jesus; distract¬ 
ing occupations will add their share. I must, 
then, in imitation of Mary frequently turn 
my eyes to Jesus by remembering during the 
day the happiness of this morning and faith¬ 
fully putting into practice the resolution 
taken in presence of my divine Bridegroom. 


MAY. 81 

How have I done this until now ?... How 
do I intend to do so in future ?.. . 

Like Mary, I must often converse with 
Jesus during the day; for even if the holy 
species are consumed after a few minutes, 
He remains with His graces. He lives in 
me, He speaks in me. Do I preserve the 
words of Jesus in my heart as Mary did?. . . 
Jesus, grant that to-day all my words and 
actions be but an echo of the loving words 
that Thou deignest to address to me in Holy 
Communion: "I will hear what the Lord 
God will speak in me” (Ps. lxxxiv. 9). 

O Mary, obtain for my heart compunction 
and for my eyes tears of repentance that I 
should have lost Jesus so often by sin. Ob¬ 
tain for me the grace to find Him again and 
to keep Him for time and eternity. 

Prayer after Meditation. 


82 


MEDITATION II. 


MEDITATION II. 

Love for Jesus Christ . 

First Prelude. —Behold in spirit Jesus 
Christ, who lovingly addresses thee: “My 
child, give Me thy heart.” 

Second Prelude. —“Sweetest Heart of 
Jesus, I implore that I may ever love thee 
more and more.” 

First Point. Jesus Deserves Our Love. 
—Consider that the first and greatest com¬ 
mandment: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy 
God with thy whole heart, with thy whole 
soul, with thy whole mind, and with all thy 
strength,” applies to Jesus Christ, He being 
God from all eternity. Of Him, the un¬ 
created Wisdom, there is written: “Riches 
and honor are with Me, magnificent treasures 
and justice.. . I am from eternity, from 
ages before the earth was made. . . When 
God laid the foundation of heaven, I was 
with Him. . . Jesus Christ as man is 
“beautiful above the sons of men” (Ps. 
xliv. 3). Centuries before His arrival, He 


MAY. 


83 


promised to render all those happy in His 
love who would love Him (Prov. viii. 17). 
He promised them also the love of His eternal 
Father: “If any one love Me, he will keep 
My word, and My Father will love him, and 
we will come to him, and will make our 
abode with him” (John xiv. 23). How much 
He did to gain our love! A single look up 
to the cross tells us all. The holy Church, 
His Spouse, says with truth: “ My beloved 
is white and red, and quite lovable. His 
whole appearance breathes love and requires 
love in return.” His head is inclined, His 
arms outstretched, His heart pierced, opened. 
“Truly this love is great,” is the exclamation 
of St. Bernard, “for thus the Lord Himself 
declares: ‘A greater love hath none, than he 
who gives his life for his friend/ but Thou, 
O Lord, hast a greater, for Thou hast given 
Thy life for us, when by sin we were Thine 
enemies, that we might be reconciled with 
the Father. We were sold to the devil, Thou 
hast ransomed us; we were poor in graces 
and spiritual gifts, Thou hast raised us to a 


84 


MEDITATION II. 


kingly priesthood; we were sitting in dark¬ 
ness and in the shadow of death, Thou hast 
enlightened every man that cometh into this 
world. Heaven was closed to us, He has 
opened it; we needed food on the long road 
to heaven, He gave Himself as nourish¬ 
ment.” .. . And should we not love with all 
our strength so great, so wise, so mighty, so 
infinitely good and bountiful a King? My 
soul, do you now understand the words of 
the Apostle: “If any man love not Our Lord 
Jesus Christ, let him be anathema” (1 Cor. 
xvi. 22). Truly ungrateful are those who 
are not touched by such love. Must we, the 
chosen brides of Jesus Christ, not most zeal¬ 
ously endeavor to make known His love to 
the whole world, to enkindle the fire of this 
love wherever it does not yet burn, and to 
fan it to flame where it is about to die out ? 
Oh, how much must I deplore the time in 
which, perhaps, I too lived without love! My 
God, how could I bear such a life! How I 
must bewail that this love ever was ex¬ 
tinguished in me and—God forbid!—per- 


MAY. 


85 


haps glows in me but faintly and weakly, not 
urging me on to a single sacrifice! Must I 
not, in sight of the world, in which so many 
despise the love of Jesus, sigh with St. Mag¬ 
dalen de Pazzi: “Love is not loved! Love is 
not loved!” 

O Jesus, that I could love Thee from now 
on as Thou deservest! Inflame my heart with 
love for Thee. Thou deservest as God and 
as Man to be loved; yes, I must consider it 
a special happiness, a precious prerogative, 
that I, a vile worm of the earth, am allowed 
to love Thee. But Thou desirest my love, 
Thou threatenest with heavy punishments if 
I do not love Thee. “O unfathomable mys¬ 
tery !” exclaims St. Augustine. Holy Mother 
Mary, who hast loved Jesus more than all 
creatures, grant that my heart burn with love 
for Jesus, my God! 

SecondPoint. How We Should Testify 
OUb Love fob Jesus. —To love is nothing 
else than to wish all good to the beloved. We 
rejoice in the good and beautiful that we 
perceive in him, that he already possesses. 


86 


MEDITATION II. 


Not satisfied with this, we wish to the beloved 
all the good that he does not yet possess, and 
we are active in helping him to obtain it. 
One desires to be in the presence of the be¬ 
loved, seeks him, wishes to be united with 
him, and is often occupied with him in 
thoughts. If love is sincere and deep, one 
values the beloved more than all else on 
earth; with us he surpasses honor, posses¬ 
sions, and life, and we should rather lose 
everything than offend him or keep him from 
us. Should we happen to offend him, and 
be it ever so slightly, our heart at once be¬ 
comes sad and dejected; we ask his pardon 
and resolve never more to hurt the beloved 
or become displeasing to him. If others of¬ 
fend him, we feel it as keenly as a personal 
offence, and become irritated against the 
offender! 

Thus we love men: our parents, brothers, 
and sisters. But do we thus love Jesus 
Christ, our Bridegroom, who deserves our 
love infinitely more than all men? My soul, 
do you rejoice that in Him you behold the 


MAY. 


87 


fulness of the Godhead, with all the treasures 
of wisdom and beauty and goodness and 
power that are in God ? Do you wish that 
all men love Him as He deserves ? And 
above all, are you active and zealous with all 
your strength for the spreading of His king¬ 
dom in the souls entrusted to you? It is 
souls that your Bridegroom longs for, noth¬ 
ing but souls, for He already possesses all 
else. 

Do you rejoice in the Real Presence when 
kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament ?. . . 
Is He often the subject of your thoughts ? Do 
you value Him above all in the world, or do 
you rather attach yourself to earthly trifles? 
How are you affected when from weakness 
you offend Him or notice that others offend 
Him ?.. . Do you at once elicit hearty 
contrition and a firm purpose of amendment 
for your own sins, an act of atonement for the 
guilt of others to offer them to your insulted 
Friend, Brother, and Bridegroom? 

O Jesus, if the love for Thee ought to be 
thus, how deficient mine still is! From 


88 


MEDITATION III.. 


now on I will love Thee. Often 1 believed I 
loved Thee, yet probably I took mere feeling 
for true love. Help me to love Thee truly. 
From Thyself this pure, unselfish, noble, 
self-sacrificing love comes. Grant that with 
St. Bernard I be able to say: “Only he who 
has experienced it can believe what it is to 
love Jesus!” 

Prayer after Meditation . 

MEDITATION III. 

The Religious in Judgment. 

First Prelude. —Place yourself in spirit 
before the judgment-seat of Christ, where 
your soul will have to appear to give an ac¬ 
count of all its works. 

Second Prelude. — “O Lord, pierce Thou 
my flesh with Thy fear: for I am afraid of 
Thy judgments” (Ps. cxviii. 120). But grant 
at the same time that this fear be for me “the 
beginning of wisdom” (Ps. cx. 10). 

First Point. What Have I Keceived? 
—Jesus Christ says in the Gospel, “Much 


MAY. 


89 


will be asked from him who has received 
much.” Be mindful of the great graces with 
which you have been favored again and 
again.. . In the first days of my life I had 
the happiness of being baptized. From a 
child of wrath I became a child of God, a 
Christian, a disciple of Christ. Whom have 
I to thank that in preference to millions of 
others I was born in the only saving Church ? 
God and His love alone. I had Christian 
parents who from earliest childhood taught 
me to bear the yoke of the commandments of 
God and of the Church that directed my first 
steps on the road to heaven. As soon as I 
had reached due age I received after careful 
preparation the Sacraments of Penance and 
the Holy Eucharist. My God, how can I 
thank Thee for so much goodness? Yet this 
was not sufficient for Thee. When my 
passions were aroused, and my faith needed 
strength, Thou gavest me the fulness of the 
Holy Spirit of Christ... I was the recipient 
of many salutary instructions, good counsels, 
inspirations, and impulses, as well as of 


90 


MEDITATION III. 


supernatural helps, to leave the bad and ac¬ 
complish the good, until at last Thou 
crownedst Thy love by calling me, a poor sin¬ 
ner, to the religious state, choosing my soul 
as Thy spouse in preference to thousands of 
others that deserved it more than I. My 
soul, what will you answer in judgment when 
the question occurs: “What did you profit by 
these graces ? Where are the gains from so 
many talents ?”. . . O my God, if punishment 
met the servant who hid his talent, what shall 
become of me, who not only have not profited 
by so many graces, inspirations, and means 
of sanctification, but have even ill-used 
them ?.. . 

Second Point. What Have I Believed ? 
—In judgment the question will arise, “What 
have you believed ?” Faith must be the rule 
of our conduct in the world, much more so 
in the convent. With this measure, this rule, 
my life shall be compared. This you have 
believed—that you have done. Will the 
Judge be in position to say: “You believed 
the world to be but a transition to eternity 


MAY. 


91 


and yet you clung to persons... to things.. . 
to places. . . You believed that the smallest 
sufferings, the most trifling mortifications 
would earn an increase of eternal glory, yet 
you tried to escape them as much as possible. 
You knew that I am omnipresent, and often 
you have forgotten Me; you confessed the 
holy Gospel with all its precepts and counsels, 
nevertheless you did not follow them. You 
knew and believed and heard that every 
venial sin is an offending of the highest Ma¬ 
jesty of God that entails purgatory, yet you 
heaped them up daily, if not hourly.”.. . 

My pour soul, what will you answer to 
these reproaches, to which the Judge will 
add more ? Does this convince you that 
“faith without works is dead” (James ii. 
26), and that the just man not only believes, 
but “liveth by faith” ? (Rom. i. 17.) Oh, then, 
accuse yourself, have recourse to Mary, that 
she help you to lead a life which one day can 
bear the comparison with your faith. 

Third Point. What Have I Vowed?— 
What have I vowed as a Christian, as a 


92 


MEDITATION III. 


religious ? This question will likewise occur 
in judgment. 

When for the first time I was carried to 
church, the holy Church received from me in 
the name of God three promises. “Do you 
renounce Satan,” she asked me. Through 
my god-parents I answered, “I do renounce 
him.” “And all his works ?” “I do re¬ 
nounce them.” “And all his pomps ?” “I do 
renounce them.” Holy guardian angel, holy 
patrons, you were witnesses at that time. O 
that you never had become witnesses of my 
later infidelity! Where is the garb of my 
innocence which I received at that time ?.. . 
My Jesus, mercy!.. . Where is the burning 
candle of God’s love that was placed in my 
hand? How often I have allowed it to be 
almost extinguished! Where is the mark of 
the children of God, the seal of the Holy 
Ghost ? How often sin has broken it!. . . 
Those vows I solemnly renewed at my first 
Holy Communion, and this time before 
numerous witnesses. . . Have I kept them 
more faithfully since that time ? At last the 


MAY. 


93 


day dajvned for me when after a long and 
careful preparation in the novitiate, after a 
retreat of several days, I knelt at the foot of 
the altar. My sisters in religion listened to 
my words, the choirs of angels and saints in¬ 
clined their ear to earth. The anointed of 
the Lord stood before me and into his hands 
I vowed holy poverty, chastity, and obedience. 
To seal these vows I received the most sacred 
body and blood of Christ. The angels noted 
this day in the Book of Life. I had sworn 
fidelity to my Lord and God and pledged my 
word to our congregation... . Yet how have 
I fulfilled this assumed obligation? What 
shall I answer the Judge if He reproaches 
me: “You were free to assume this obligation 
or not, but once assumed, where is your 
fidelity ?” 

0 my God, pardon me! I tremble before 
Thy judgments (Ps. cx. 9). Yet Thou who 
hast heard the penitent thief, Thou hast 
granted me hope likewise. With all my 
heart I renew my vows of former days and 
add the firm resolution to keep them more 


94 


MEDITATION III. 


faithfully. “I have sworn, and I am de¬ 
termined to keep the judgments of Thy 
justice” (Ps. cxviii. 106). Pardon the past, 
O my God. I declare with penitent King 
David: “And I said, now I have begun” 
(Ps. lxxvi. 11). 

Prayer after Meditation. 


JUNE 


MEDITATION I. 

Spiritual Communion. 

First Prelude.— Kepresent to yourself 
Jesus Christ, who in the Sacrament of His 
love invites all to come to Him: “With desire 
I have desired to eat this Pasch with you” 
(Luke xxii. 15). 

Second Prelude. —Implore the grace 
rightly to know the value and use of spiritual 
Communion. 

First Point. It is Easy to Communi¬ 
cate Spiritually. —Consider that it is a 
rule of spiritual life not to be satisfied with 
real Communion on certain days, but to com¬ 
municate spiritually, besides, and often. 

What does it mean to communicate spirit¬ 
ually? It means not only to keep united 
with Jesus by love and imitation, but, and 
95 



96 


MEDITATION /. 


above all to express to our God and Spouse 
the desire to receive Him verily in Holy 
Communion and to keep most intimately 
connected with Him. Kequirements for 
spiritual Communion are: a lively faith in 
the presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy 
Eucharist, a hearty thanksgiving for the in¬ 
stitution of this most holy mystery, a true 
desire to love Jesus more and more and be¬ 
come more like Him, a sincere contrition for 
our sins and the desire to communicate if it 
were possible. 

Consider, my soul, how easy it is in this 
manner to be united with Jesus Christ. You 
can practise spiritual Communion at any 
time, not only during Mass or at a visit to 
the Blessed Sacrament; you do not need the 
assistance of a priest nor an acolyte—you 
need not be fasting; no confession is required, 
nor long preparation. Ho, my soul, if you say 
the trouble of it prevents you from practising 
spiritual Communion, this is a specious ex¬ 
cuse and the words of Holy Writ may be ap¬ 
plied to you: “If something hard had been 


JUNE. 


97 


required of you, surely you should have done 
so, how much rather now” (4 Kings v. 13). 

How good Our Lord is to have made it so 
easy for us to unite ourselves with Him! 

Second Point. Spiritual Communion 
is Most Pleasing to God. —Consider that 
our desires are the more pleasing to God the 
holier the end unto which they are directed. 

What do I desire when longing for Com¬ 
munion ? The holiest that heaven and earth 
contain—the body and blood of Jesus Christ; 
His Godhead and humanity—that which 
through all eternity constitutes the happiness 
of angels and saints; the union with God, my 
first beginning and my last end, that which 
will one day find its continuation in heaven 
and usher me into an abode of happiness and 
felicity. I require or I hunger for the Bread 
of the strong, that shall sustain me on the 
pilgrim’s path; I thirst for the wine that 
begets virgins, that shall strengthen me 
against all the assaults of the impure spirit. 
I desire to be made conformable to Jesus 
Christ, my Model. “What have I in heaven, 



98 


MEDITATION I. 


and besides Thee what do I desire upon 
earth ? Thou art the God of my heart, and 
the God that is my portion for ever” (Ps. 
Ixxii. 25). Must such a desire not be agree¬ 
able to God? 

A courtier seeks to please his prince, a 
servant girl her mistress, and should I not 
seek to be well-pleasing to my Lord, my King 
and my Spouse by frequently making spirit¬ 
ual Communions ? Doing this, I profess 
my faith in His real presence in the Holy 
Eucharist, my hope in the fulfilment of His 
promises, my love and gratitude in the un¬ 
speakable benefits of Holy Communion, my 
contrition for my sins, and the acknowledg¬ 
ment of my unworthiness to receive Him 
really. What could be more pleasing to Him ? 

Third Point. Spiritual Communion 
is Most Useful to Us. —Consider that God 
rewards every good work which is done in 
the state of grace. He gives for it an in¬ 
crease of sanctifying grace and an eternal 
reward. The Baptism of desire has (con¬ 
cerning original sin) the same effect as Bap- 


JUNE. 


99 


tism proper—the desire to go to confession, 
when accompanied by perfect contrition, has 
the same effect concerning remission of sins, 
the same effect as actual confession. Like¬ 
wise, the desire to receive Holy Communion 
has, as it were, the same effects as real Com¬ 
munion. The soul is nourished, refreshed, 
strengthened and replenished with graces. 

The practice of spiritual Communion will 
preserve my mind from distraction; I shall 
live in constant union with Jesus Christ; I 
shall increase daily in love and shall, more¬ 
over, he better prepared for receiving Holy 
Communion and deriving more fruit there¬ 
from. For Jesus Christ enters a heart that 
frequently invites Him with special joy, as 
one friend gladly visits another who has 
often and pressingly invited him. I shall 
experience that on my deathbed, when Jesus 
comes for the last time. 

0 my Lord and God, Jesus Christ, I ad¬ 
mire Thy love and goodness and adore them 
—I thank Thee for them. I repent of not 
having been more zealous in a practice so 


100 


MEDITATION II. 


agreeable to Thee, so useful to me. When in 
holy Mass the priest receives Communion, 
when I see my sisters in religion approach 
the holy table, when I visit Thee in the 
Blessed Sacrament, when I read or hear 
about Holy Communion, when on the eve of 
a Communion day I think of the happiness 
of the following day, then help me, Thou, 
O Lord, that I make use of the occasion to 
express to Thee my desire for Thy entrance 
into my heart. St. Joseph, St. Stanislaus, St. 
Catharine of Sienna, who excelled in this holy 
practice, obtain for me the grace often to 
make a spiritual Communion. Amen. 

Prayer after Meditation . 

MEDITATION II. 

Humility. 

First Prelude. —Represent to your mind 
Jesus Christ pointing to a little child and 
saying, “Unless you become as little children, 
you shall not enter into the kingdom of 
heaven” (Matt, xviii, 3). 


JUNE. 


101 


Second Prelude. —Pray for grace to in¬ 
crease in the knowledge, love, and practice 
of humility. 

First Point. What is Humility?— 
Humility is a virtue by which one despises 
oneself and desires also to be despised by 
others. We all have reasons to have a low 
esteem of ourselves. “Why is earth and 
ashes proud ?” says the Holy Spirit (Ecclus. 
x. 9). We are nothing of ourselves. God 
has created us out of nothing, without our 
co-operation or merit; He might as easily 
have left us in it. “If any man think him¬ 
self to be something, whereas he is nothing, 
he deceiveth himself” (Gal. vi. 3). Besides, 
how great is our misery! Our body is weak 
and subject to many wants; our intellect is 
limited; our will unsteady and prone to evil; 
our good works imperfect. We have nothing 
from ourselves. “What hast thou, that thou 
hast not received? And if thou hast re¬ 
ceived it, why dost thou glory, as if thou 
hadst not received it?” (1 Cor. iv. 7.) We 
can do nothing by ourselves. “Without Me,” 


102 


MEDITATION II. 


says Jesus, “you can do nothing,” and St. 
Paul adds, “not even pronounce the name of 
Jesus.” All our capability is from God. 

What humility have I attained ? It is 
easy to speak humbly and lowly about one’s 
self, nay, for a rational being endowed with 
faith it is hard to think in a different man¬ 
ner about one’s self. Yet this is not the virtue 
of humility. Am I just as willing to be 
treated accordingly by God and men? If 
God tries me and sends me one humiliation 
after another, do I remain quiet and at 
peace, ready to say, “Lord, I deserve no bet¬ 
ter” ? When I am reproved alone or before 
others, if evil is said about me, or the respect 
that my position or merit seems to claim is 
not paid to me, if I am insulted and offended, 
do I accept these humiliations willingly ? Or 
do I take refuge in excuses, lies, or inward 
bitterness? “If thou wilt become humble,” 
says St. Bernard, “do not flee from humilia¬ 
tions, for this is the road to humility.” Do 
my words and actions always aim at the 
glory of God, or at my own honor, my repu- 


JUNE. 


103 , 


tation before men? O Jesus, Thou hast 
humbled Thyself, hast become obedient even 
unto death, nay, unto the death of the cross; 
most humble Jesus, of whom St. Augustine 
said that he had but to think of Thee in 
order to know what humility is, make my 
heart like Thine. Grant that I may glory 
in nothing but in my weakness and misery, 
thus to find strength in Thee, my support, 
my refuge, my salvation in eternity. 

Second Point. Necessity of Humi¬ 
dity. —Reflect on the following passages of 
Holy Scripture: “God resisteth the proud, 
but to the humble He giveth grace” (1 Pet. 
v. 5). “Woe to you that are wise in your 
own eyes” (Is. v. 21). “Where humility 
is there also is wisdom” (Prov. xi. 2). 
“Let not the wise man glory in his wis¬ 
dom, and let not the strong man glory in his 
strength, but let him that glorieth, glory in 
this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, 
for I am the Lord” (Jer. ix. 23, 24). 

Consider likewise the following sayings 
of the saints: “If humility does not precede 


104 


MEDITATION II. 


our good works, accompany and follow them, 
pride will rob us of all merit” (St. Augus¬ 
tine). “The edifice of our perfection must 
rest entirely on the foundation of humility; 
the nearer we come to God, the humbler we 
must be, else we shall see the whole structure 
tumble down” (St. Teresa). “The more 
humble we are, the more pleasing is God to 
work great things through us. The smaller 
we are in our own eyes, the more grace we 
receive to move hearts and to educate our 
pupils to be true Christians” (St. John 
Bapt. de la Salle). 

My soul, how is it that with these con¬ 
siderations thou showest so little zeal to ob¬ 
tain humility? Will I not appear empty- 
handed before my Judge, notwithstanding 
my talents and knowledge, unless I earnestly 
strive after humility? 

What is my perfection if it lacks this 
virtue? It is then without foundation. 
Without humility will my good works effect 
the salvation of my neighbor ? May I depend 
on the particular assistance of God, His 


JUNE. 


105 


grace and His blessing, if I covet my own 
glory and not His? On the contrary, the 
Holy Ghost tells me through the words of 
St. Peter that God will resist me: “God re- 
sisteth the proud.” 

O my God, how much reason have I to 
acquire the virtue of humility at any cost. 
Thou, O my Jesus, hast taught it to me by 
Thy word and example. “Learn of Me,” not 
to work miracles, not to raise the dead, not 
to create a new world, no, “Learn of Me, for 
I am meek and humble of heart.” O Jesus, 
meek and humble of heart, make my heart 
like unto Thine. How ashamed must I feel to 
behold Thee lying in a manger, leading a life 
of poverty. How abashed when I consider 
that they accused Thee as a criminal and 
nailed Thee to the cross between two malefac¬ 
tors. If I compare my conduct to Thine, I 
needs must confess that under a humble Head 
I have been a proud member. I know it, 
Lord; the devil hates humility. That is a 
reason for me to love it. Satan did not even 
exempt Thee from his temptation to pride; 


106 


MEDITATION III. 


I implore Thee apply to me the merit of Thy 
victory over him, tear out the poisonous 
plant of pride with its root from my heart 
and grant me the grace which is promised to 
the humble. 

“To the humble He gives His grace.” 

Prayer after Meditation. 


MEDITATION III. 

The Fear of God. 

First Prelude. —Place yourself in spirit 
among the Jews at the foot of Mt. Sinai 
while amidst thunder and lightning the voice 
of the Lord resounds: “I am the Lord, thy 
God.” 

Second Prelude. —A fervent prayer to 
obtain the fear of God. Let us speak with 
David: “Penetrate, O Lord, my flesh with 
Thy fear.” 

First Point. We Must Fear the 
Punishments of God. —Consider devoutly 
the express admonition of Jesus Christ: “Fear 


JUNE. 


107 


ye not them that kill the body, and are not 
able to kill the soul. But fear him who, after 
he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell. 
Yea, I say to you, fear him” (Matt. x. 28; 
Luke xii. 5). It is a fearful thing,” says 
St. Paul, “to fall into the hands of the living 
God” (Hebr. x. 31). My soul, what do you 
conclude for yourself from the above ? That 
you too must fear the punishments of God, 
for those words are spoken for all men, even 
for those called by God to His special ser¬ 
vice. It is true, St. John says that “perfect 
charity casteth out fear” (1 John iv. 18), but 
can I say that my love is perfect ? As long 
as that is not the case, I dare not banish fear 
from my heart. By God’s goodness I may 
cherish the hope of being in the state of 
grace; hell thus is closed for me. But if a 
salutary fear of the terrible punishments of 
the just God pierces me, then the abyss 
between me and mortal sin will become 
greater and the danger of my falling into 
mortal sin will become less day by day; ac- 


108 


MEDITATION III. 


cording to the words of the Holy Ghost: 
“The fear of the Lord driveth out sin” 
(Ecclus. i. 27). Had the foolish virgins 
possessed more of this salutary fear, they 
would never have heard: “I know you not” 
(Matt. xxv. 12). 

God does not punish in hell alone. There 
is purgatory with all its torments. Do I not 
fear them? Do I consider frequently that 
there every sin, even the least, is punished, 
that therefore every untruth, lack of charity, 
sensitiveness, vanity, and irreverence is, as 
it were, fuel for this terrible fire ? “If Thou, 
0 Lord, wilt mark iniquities, Lord who shall 
stand it?” (Ps. cxxix. 3.) 

Second Point. We Must Peak Of¬ 
fending God. —God in Himself is the 
greatest Good. Toward us likewise He is in¬ 
finite Goodness itself. He has loaded us 
with benefits and proved Himself in every 
respect a Father to us. Consider, then, what 
there is about sin. Ho matter whether mortal 
or venial, sin always is an offence against 
God, the greatest Good, the highest wisdom 


JUNE. 


109 


and power, our blessed Benefactor, our most 
tender Father in heaven. 

Should I not fear to offend so good a God ? 
What evil has He done to me ? “My people, 
what have I done to you, or in what have I 
afflicted you? Answer Me!” O God, how 
unfortunate was the time in which I did not 
fear to offend Thee by mortal sin. Oh that 
I could recall it. Will I again grieve my 
Lord and God; strike Him in the face, as it 
were, by my sins? Will I, a vile, miserable 
creature, revolt against the infinite Majesty ? 
Lord, rather let me die here at Thy feet. Yet 
I must avoid even venial sin, because thereby 
my good God in heaven is offended. Oh, if 
the fear of God filled my heart, how vigilant 
I should be to avoid all distractions, how 
careful in conversation, how humble and 
conscientious in the observance of my 
Holy Rules, how faithful in the smallest 
things, how devout in prayer, in order 
thus to avoid the shadow of sin, as a good 
child avoids all that might displease or 
grieve its father. Oh that I possessed this 



110 


MEDITATION III. 


child-like fear! It is far more perfect than 
the fear of the punishment of God; it keeps 
the soul in a constant yet joyful watchful¬ 
ness; it nourishes and perfects love; it is 
about this fear that it is written, “The fear 
of the Lord is honor and glory and gladness 
and a crown of joy” (Ecclus. i. 11). 

Third Point. We Must Fear God Him¬ 
self. —The fear of the punishments of God, 
as well as the fear of offending Him, will 
one day cease. Yet there is another fear of 
God, to which St. Bernard applies the words 
of David: “The fear of the Lord is holy, en¬ 
during forever and ever” (Ps. xviii. 10). 

This is a spirit of holy reverence before 
God and all that has relation to Him. Truly 
no people have their God so near as we chosen 
ones, who have been admitted to His special 
familiarity. Day and night Jesus dwells 
with us under the same roof; we are daily 
present when during the holy Mass heaven 
opens and He descends upon the altar; we 
appear before His tabernacle several times 
a week. He enters our heart in Holy Com- 


JUNE. 


Ill 


munion... O Lord, with what intimacy 
Thou dost treat us; yes, Thou showest that 
it is Thy delight to be with the children of 
men, and especially with Thy chosen ones. 
Yet is not this familiar intercourse an 
incentive to irreverence toward God ? Is my 
attitude when I kneel before the tabernacle 
always a worthy, an edifying one ? How are 
my preparation and thanksgiving when I 
receive Holy Communion ?.. . How do I 
converse with God, how speak of God ?.. . 
How do I treat the poor members of Jesus 
Christ? 0 my Lord and God, if I must 
reproach myself in all these points, the cause 
is this, that Thy holy fear does not penetrate 
me, daily intercourse makes me forget that 
Thou art the God of majesty and holiness, 
who is honored by familiarity, but dishonored 
by irreverence. The difference between Thee 
and me is infinite, yet I treat Thee as if 
there were no difference; and as I would 
scarcely dare treat my equal. Have I ever 
received a friend so indifferently and coldly ? 
Yet Thou art the holy One, before whom the 


112 


MEDITATION III. 


cherubim cover their faces with their wings, 
and who hath spoken by the prophet: 
“Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord 
deceitfully” (Jerem. xlviii. 10). Holy 
angels, ye models of holy reverence and es¬ 
teem, obtain for us that holy fear which does 
not exclude familiarity, but increases love. 

Prayer after Meditation . 


JULY. 


MEDITATION I. 

The Hidden Life of Jesus in the Blessed 
Sacrament. 

First Prelude. —Behold J esus Christ, 
when at the Last Supper He speaks the 
words, “Take ye and eat, this is My body”” 
(Matt. xxvi. 26). 

Second Prelude. —O Jesus, hidden God, 
enlighten the eyes of my faith, that by faith 
I may behold what my senses fail to perceive. 

First Point. Jesus, the Hidden God. 
—Consideration: Adam and Eve were de¬ 
ceived in paradise through their hearing. 
They believed the words of the devil and 
thought to eat life unto themselves, whereas 
they ate death. In the Blessed Sacrament 
our senses perceive but ordinary bread, yet 
our hearing does not deceive us, for Jesus 
113 



114 


MEDITATION I. 


Himself tells us, “This is My body.” Our 
senses do not perceive Him and our intellect 
does not understand, for no human intellect 
can understand how the infinite God, whom 
the heavens can not contain, disguises Him¬ 
self under the lowly appearance of bread and 
wine. There He is hidden even more than 
He was during His earthly life. Even if 
His Divinity was hidden to man in the crib, 
at Nazareth, in Jerusalem, at the pillar, on 
the cross, yet they beheld His humanity; 
here both are hidden, Godhead and human¬ 
ity. 

O wonderful concealment! A part of the 
consecrated Host may be ever so small, yes, 
scarcely visible to the naked eye: neverthe¬ 
less Jesus Christ, Godhead and humanity, 
is hidden in it. Verily Thou art a hidden 
God, the God of Israel, the Saviour (Isaias 
xlv. 15). Jesus Christ is like unto a king 
who for a time lays aside his royal garments 
to clothe himself not only with lowly, but 
even miserable garments. What opprobrium 
such a king will often experience! One does 


JULY. 


115 


not know him, another does not want to 
know him, a third believes him in his hidden 
form to be a despicable man. All this Jesus 
experiences in the Blessed Sacrament. There 
were Jews who pierced Him with their 
swords and then derided Him: “If Thou art 
the God of the Christians, prove it.” The 
heretics have thrown Him before dogs and 
horses, bad Christians have dishonored Him 
by disrespect and desecration. “O Thou 
hidden Godhead, I adore Thee! Though 
Thou hide under these species, my heart at 
least recognizes Thee. O Jesus, whom I now 
behold veiled, when will the hour come when 
I shall be allowed to see Thee unveiled and 
to be forever happy with Thee in Thy 
glory!” (Adoro Te.) 

Second Point. Why Does Jesus Conceal 
Himself in the Blessed Sacrament?— 
Jesus conceals Himself here to increase our 
merits by our faith. If we beheld Him in His 
glory, how would it be possible not to believe ? 
But how would then the word of the Lord be 
applied to us: “Blessed are they that have not 


116 


MEDITATION I. 


seen and have believed” (John xx. 29). It is 
this faith which, according to St. Thomas, is 
for ns the source of rich merits; it gives us 
an abundance of spiritual goods here below. 
For.does not Our Lord Himself say, “He 
that believeth in Me, as the Scripture saith: 
Out of him shall flow rivers of living water” 
(John vii. 38)? And St. Peter: “Whom 
having net seen, you love: in whom also now, 
though you see Him not, you believe: and 
believing shall rejoice with joy unspeakable 
and glorified. Receiving the end of your 
faith even the salvation of your souls” 
(1 Peter i. 8, 9). O God, let faith then come 
to our aid where our senses are insufficient! 
Jesus conceals Himself out of love for us, to 
come to the aid of our weakness. For remem¬ 
ber that of Jesus Christ, as God, is true what 
is written: “Thou canst not see My face: for 
man shall not see Me and live” (Exod. xxxiii. 
20). Remember that the Jews could not look 
at the face of Moses after he had spoken with 
the Lord—Moses had to cover it with a veil. 
It is impossible for man now to behold the 


JULY. 


117 


Godhead of Jesus: we could not even look at 
the glorified humanity after His Resurrec¬ 
tion, for it is much more dazzling than the 
face of Moses, brighter and more resplendent 
than the sun. Since Jesus wishes to stay 
with us and abide in our heart, He hides 
Himself under these lowly appearances. If 
we could behold His Godhead and humanity, 
we should not dare risk appearing before the 
throne of His glory. The cherubim tremble 
before Him and scarcely dare to look at Him 
—should we miserable creatures have the 
boldness, we who, besides, have offended Him 
a thousand times? Lord, if Thou wouldst, 
then, invite us: “Come to Me all ye who 
labor and are burdened!” who would have 
the courage to come? Yet, thanks to Thy 
love, now I can say with David: “I shall 
enter in to the Lord, for He hath hidden His 
countenance” (Ps. viii. 17). 

Admire, O my soul, this love untold, and 
thank thy God as ardently as thou art able. 

Jesus hides Himself to give us an example 
of humility. As a physician combats a dis- 


118 


MEDITATION I. 


ease with the remedies antagonistic to the 
evil, so Jesus applies a remedy in direct op¬ 
position to our inclinations. Our desires 
prompt us to appear to shine, to be seen, to 
distinguish ourselves, to rise higher, be it 
even in the limited circle of our sisters, or 
those under our care. Do we not often notice 
this desire when we perform acts of love or 
works of charity, when we pray or mortify 
ourselves? O my poor soul, behold the ex¬ 
ample which Jesus Christ gives you in the 
Blessed Sacrament. This Model calls out 
to you, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto 
a treasure hidden in a field’’ (Matt. xiii. 44). 
“Love to be overlooked and despised; no man 
is secure in appearing abroad, but he who 
willingly lies hid at home” (Imit. i. 20). 

Behold Jesus Christ bestowing love, yea, 
exhausting Himself in love, but doing so in 
concealment. He prays here, leads a life of 
mysterious mortification, but hides Himself. 
And I should wish to rise, while my Saviour 
lowers Himself so much ? 

O my Jesus, hidden God, Thou who art 


JULY. 


119 


going to lower Thyself even more by entering 
my poor heart—make me understand Thy 
lesson. Oh, how willingly would I prepare 
in my heart a king’s throne, one worthy of 
Thy Godhead! Render it impossible at least 
that Thy concealment and humility be for 
me an occasion for treating Thee less 
respectfully and lovingly. Teach me, 0 
Jesus, how to prepare myself for my last 
Holy Communion, which will he followed by 
the revelation of Thyself. And when Thou 
shalt reveal Thyself to my eyes in the splen¬ 
dor of Thy glory, grant that I need not be 
ashamed of not having sufficiently known, 
honored and loved Thee, the hidden God. 
Holy Virgin Mary, in whom Jesus was hid¬ 
den so long, obtain for me this grace. 

Prayer after Meditation. 

MEDITATION II. 

Meekness. 

Eirst Prelude.— Behold our divine Sa¬ 
viour under the lowly type of a lamb, as the 


120 


MEDITATION II. 


prophets announced Him and St. John 
pointed Him out. 

Second Prelude. —An ardent prayer for 
the beautiful and necessary virtue of meek¬ 
ness. 

First Point. Jesus Christ Requires 
Meekness from Us. —Consider how much 
Our Saviour recommends meekness by word 
and example: “Learn of Me, for I am meek 
of heart” (Matt. xi. 29). “Behold I send 
you as lambs among wolves” (Luke x. 3). 
“And to him that striketh thee on the one 
cheek, offer also the other. And him that 
taketh away from thee thy cloak, forbid him 
not to take thy coat also” (Luke vi. 29)— 
rather than by quarreling to lose meekness. 
Thus Jesus Christ, our Bridegroom and the 
Lawgiver of the Hew Testament, teaches. 
He Himself was meek in His childhood, in 
His youth, during His public life, among 
ignorant and sometimes unmannerly dis¬ 
ciples, false Pharisees, troublesome sick, ob¬ 
durate and contrite sinners; yea, among 
persons of most discordant characters, 


JULY. 


121 


qualities, educations, prejudices, views and 
customs; in a word, amidst surroundings 
that continually offered Him most nu¬ 
merous occasions for the exercise of meek¬ 
ness. This meekness reached its culminating 
point in His Passion; when practised 
toward a treacherous Judas, an insolent Cai- 
aphas, a cowardly Pilate, a sensual Herod, 
the inhuman executioners, it astonished 
heaven and earth. What follows from this 
for me?. . . If Jesus Christ, by words and 
example, recommends meekness so much, 
then its practice must be not only useful, 
but even necessary for me. O my Saviour, 
Thou requirest this virtue from me! It is Thy 
will that I overcome my anger at all times. 
My surroundings, whether at home, at school, 
or elsewhere engaged in other works of love, 
daily offer me occasions for it; yet how do I 
conduct myself ?.. . I seem to hear Thy 
voice calling out to me: “My child, you do 
not know by what spirit you are moved. Do 
My examples, My often repeated instructions 
that I give by the mouth of your Superiors, 


122 


MEDITATION II. 


in My stead, do these not suffice to make you 
meek ?”.. . 

O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make 
my heart like unto Thine! Give me at least 
a holy zeal, an ardent desire to acquire the 
virtue of meekness. 

Second Point. Our Neighbor Requires 
Meekness from Us. —According to the 
words of St. Vincent de Paul, all men wish 
to he treated with meekness; nobody likes to 
he reproved with bitterness and hardness; 
St. Francis de Sales calls blame a hitter 
fruit, unpalatable, except if first dipped in 
meekness. 

Remember that you yourself like to be 
treated with meekness. Ask yourself: “Do 
I like to be contradicted? Do I like to be 
corrected with harshness and bitterness?”.. 
Forgive me, O Lord, that I have so often 
treated others as I do not wish to be treated 
myself. How often I have forgotten the 
law inscribed by Thee in the heart of men: 
“Whatever you do not wish that others do 
unto you, do not do unto them.” How sorry 


JULY. 


123 


I am that I have so often acted impetuously! 
Must I not attribute to this cause the fact 
that my actions have so little effect; that I 
have so little influence over souls ? By meek¬ 
ness we can direct the hearts of others and 
mold them like wax—and a Father of the 
Church says, “Nothing is hard to the humble, 
nothing difficult to the meek.” Is this to be 
wondered at ? Certainly not. Meekness springs 
from love and pity toward the weakness of 
our neighbor. What heart can resist love 
and pity? If the meek admonishes, love 
speaks from every one of his words; it be¬ 
comes clear to the neighbor that one means 
well, and a heart of stone can be softened 
by the oil of meekness. O God, grant that 
I understand and fulfil the words of Thy 
saints: “Meekness makes it easy to rule 
hearts.” 

Third Point. Meekness is Necessary 
for Us.—If we want to enjoy the love and 
esteem of our sisters and those in our care, 
we must be meek. Love and esteem should 
certainly not be the aim of the practice of 


124 


MEDITATION II. 


meekness, yet without it we embitter our own 
life and are not able to work for the salvation 
of others. How many disagreeable occur¬ 
rences and disappointments could I have 
avoided by meekness! And how great a 
harm have I brought to my own soul by im¬ 
petuosity and anger! Whenever I have given 
way to anger, I always have done and said 
things of which I repent later when in a 
quiet mood. I have done foolish things, and 
as the Holy Ghost says, “The impatient man 
shall work folly” (Prov. xiv. 17). My prayer 
at such times was distracted and careless; I 
was deprived of devotion at Holy Com¬ 
munion, for one should approach the banquet 
of love only with a loving heart. I lacked the 
contentment that can never dwell amid such 
turbulent emotions, yet is needed if one is to 
remain happy in my holy vocation. 

O my God and Lord, how ungrateful, un- 
Christian and foolish I have been by trying 
so little to subdue my impetuosity! 0 Jesus, 
Model of humility, I forgot Thy precept, Thy 
example, I forgot what St. Chrysostom tells 


JULY. 


125 


me: “Look at Christ and you shall be humble 
at once!” How much good I have neglected, 
how much evil I have caused! Yet, O Lord, 
I firmly resolve to do better. I feel that I 
am inclined to anger, that occasions will 
present themselves when it will be difficult 
to govern myself. Strengthen me then with 
Thy grace; make me remember Thy example, 
Thy doctrine, Thy promises. “Blessed are 
the meek, for they shall possess the land” 
(Matt. v. 4). Grant that I, like David, al¬ 
ways hold my soul in my hands (Ps. cxviii. 
109), to find that rest of the soul which Thou 
hast promised as a precious treasure to those 
that are meek of heart (Matt. xi. 29). 

Prayer after Meditation. 

MEDITATION III. 

Jesus Christ , Our Witness. 

First Prelude. —Let us place ourselves 
with great reverence in the presence of Jesus 
Christ, who is really and substantially 
present in the Blessed Sacrament. 


126 


MEDITATION III. 


Second Prelude. —Ask fervently for 
grace ever to walk in the presence of God. 

First Point. Jesus Christ as God is 
Omnipresent and Witness of Our 
Actions. —Jesus Christ, who for love of us 
became Man, is likewise the God of heaven 
and earth. By this quality He fills the uni¬ 
verse with His presence; “for in Him we 
live and move and are” (Acts xvii. 28). Ho 
fish in the ocean is so surrounded by water, 
no crystal is so imbued with light, as we are 
surrounded by God and filled with Him. He 
sees all, His eye penetrates the deepest depths 
of the earth, the most secret folds of the 
heart. “O Lord,” exclaims David, “Thy 
knowledge is become wonderful to me; it is 
high, and I can not reach to it. Whither 
shall I go from Thy spirit? or whither shall 
I flee from Tliy face? If I ascend into 
heaven, Thou art there: if I descend into 
hell, Thou art present. If I take my wings 
early in the morning and dwell in the utter¬ 
most parts of the sea, even there also shall 
Thv hand lead me; and Thy right hand 


JULY. 


127 


shall hold me. And I said: Perhaps dark¬ 
ness shall cover me: and night shall be my 
light in my pleasures. But darkness shall 
not be dark to Thee, and night shall be as 
light as day; the darkness thereof and the 
light thereof are alike to Thee”(Ps. cxxxviii. 
6-12). Of Him it is written, “Neither is 
there any creature invisible in His sight: 
but all things are naked and open to His 
eyes, to whom our speech is” (Hebr. iv. 13). 
“And because He needed not that any should 
give testimony of man, for He knew what 
was in man” (John ii. 25). Oh, terrible 
truth for the sinful soul, but consoling 
knowledge for the just! God sees my strug¬ 
gles and temptations, my weakness; He hears 
my sighs, my petitions, my complaints, and 
my wishes! O God, I know this through my 
holy Faith; I have been taught this from 
childhood and I thank Thee for it. Yet, how 
does it come that I often pass whole hours 
without thinking of Thee? 0 Lord, come 
to the aid of my weakness! 


128 


MEDITATION III. 


Second Point. Jesus in the Blessed 
Sacrament is Our Witness in a Special 
Manner. —By a miracle of kindness and 
love Jesus Christ has made this house His 
abode. His mild eye watches me, wherever 
I am, whether I work or rest, converse or 
pray, or recreate. His all-seeing eye, pen¬ 
etrating the doors of the tabernacle, follows 
me, is continually directed to me, as if I 
alone sojourned within the quiet walls of the 
convent. And if in the evening I close my 
eyes, Thou, O my Jesus, dost not close Thine; 
Thou watchest over me, Thou seest me, Thou 
art attentive whether my first and last 
thought is of Thee. When I approach Thy 
tabernacle, I ever find Thee ready to listen 
to my petition. Thy ear is ever open to the 
voice of my call, that from the depth of my 
misery cries to Thee. In Holy Communion 
Thou descendest into my heart to be witness 
of my love and zeal. O most loving God, 
omniscient witness of all my actions and 
omissions, oh that Thou hadst never seen any¬ 
thing in me to afflict Thee! Would that Thou 


JULY. 


129 


hadst always seen me recollected, seeking 
only Thee in all things, charitable to my 
neighbor, meek and humble, pure in thoughts 
and actions, zealous in prayer, and penetrated 
by holy reverence in Thy presence. Pardon, 
O my Lord and God, the affliction that I have 
caused Thee in the Blessed Sacrament by the 
sight of my infidelities. 0 God, have mercy 
on me, a poor sinner! 

Third Point. We Must Always Walk 
in the Presence of God. —“Walk before 
Me and be perfect” (Gen. xvii 1). Thus 
the Lord spoke to Abraham, as if He wished 
to say: “Remember that I, thy Lord and 
God, have My eye directed on thee, that thou 
shouldst not sin, but daily approach that 
perfection which thou perceivest in Me!” 
God sees me! Jesus Christ sees me! This 
thought should never escape my mind. The 
saints always had this truth before their 
eyes. O God, how far I am from this! Yet 
how many sins and imperfections have been 
caused by this neglect! Alas, if an infidel, 
or one of another creed, who does not know 


130 


MEDITATION III. 


human weakness saw my imperfections and 
faults, would he not think that my heart 
does not believe the words of my mouth ? God 
sees me! God sees me! Thus the just Joseph 
thought when Putiphar’s wife wanted to 
seduce him to sin: “How can I do this wicked 
thing, and sin against my God?” (Gen. 
xxxix. 9.) God sees me. Thus thought 
chaste Susanna, when in her anguish she ex¬ 
claimed, “It is better for me to fall into your 
hands without doing it, than to sin in the 
sight of the Lord” (Dan. xiii. 22). Thus I 
must think when Satan tempts me, when less 
perfect sisters want to prevail on me to trans¬ 
gress the Holy Pule, when tepidity and lazi¬ 
ness threaten to take possession of my heart, 
when kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament, 
I dream away the time without giving my¬ 
self earnestly to prayer and meditation. Yea, 
my eye ought to be constantly directed to 
this truth, like that of the Jews to the fiery 
column, that I may know whither to direct 
my steps and how to arrange my actions. 

0 good Jesus, “make Thy face to shine 


JULY. 


131 


upon Thy servant and teach me Thy justi¬ 
fications” (Ps. cxviii. 135). Let Thy light 
enlighten me as the light of the sun whose 
presence I always feel even though it hides 
behind the clouds. Then I shall go from 
virtue to virtue (Ps. lxxxiii. 8) and in some 
measure fulfil the words which Thou hast 
spoken: “Be you therefore perfect, as also 
your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. v. 
48). 

Prayer after Meditation . 


AUGUST. 


MEDITATION I. 

Behold I Come Quickly (Apoc. xxii. 12). 

First Prelude. —Place yourself at the 
side of Mary and Martha expecting Jesus. 

Second Prelude. —A fervent prayer al¬ 
ways to prepare worthily for the reception 
of our divine Saviour. 

First Point. Who Comes to Me?— 
Remember the infallible truth of our Faith 
that Jesus Christ is present in the Blessed 
Sacrament, Deity and humanity, body and 
soul. . . that same God of Majesty is ready 
to come to me!.. . He asks admission to my 
heart, He knocks at the door, looking through 
the window, looking through the lattice, and 
says, “Open to Me, My sister, My spouse” 
(Cant. v. 2). He who comes is the immor¬ 
tal King of eternity, who will one day judge 
me, who will open for me the gates of heaven 
132 



AUGUST . 


133 


or cast me out among the damned. He is my 
Creditor, with whom I have contracted an 
infinite debt; my Master, who has imposed 
upon me the sweet yoke of His command¬ 
ments and counsels, and who has promised 
me an eternal reward; He is my Teacher, 
Himself the Way, the Truth, and the Life; 
He is my Friend, whose fidelity is eternal 
and whose friendship He sealed with His 
blood; He is my Brother, who, although the 
Son of God, adopted me to be His co-heir.— 
He is my Bridegroom, who hath said, “And 
I will espouse thee to Me forever: and I will 
espouse thee to Me in justice and judgment, 
and in loving kindness and in tender mercies” 
(Osee ii. 19). “Being the Heir of the richest 
Father, who, being rich, became poor for our 
sakes, that through His poverty we might be 
rich” (2 Cor. viii. 9). He is the most loving 
Physician, who truly hath borne our suffer¬ 
ings and hath taken upon Himself our mala¬ 
dy, that we may be healed through Him. O 
Jesus, how can I express my love, my admira¬ 
tion for Thee! O my Judge, my Creditor, how 


134 


MEDITATION I. 


can I worthily receive Thee!. . . “Lord, I 
am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter 
under my roof”.. . Oh, make me less un¬ 
worthy by infusing into me feelings of sin¬ 
cere humility. 

Second Point. To Whom Does Jesus 
Come ?—O my son, you can not abase your¬ 
self sufficiently before Him who is about to 
come to you. Lord, would that I knew Thee, 
would that I knew myself! Who am I that 
Thou, O God, comest to me ? “What is man 
that Thou art mindful of him?” (Ps. viii. 
5.) The King comes to His lowest subject. 
By my infidelity I have contracted with Him 
an infinite debt. O my God, dost Thou not 
see that I possess not a farthing to pay my 
infinite debt of ten thousand talents ? Depart 
from me, for I am a sinful man. The Lord 
and Master comes to His slave, and to what 
a slave! Oh, how often I have shaken off 
the sweet yoke of Thy commandments, have 
broken Thy sweet bonds, and by my actions 
at least have said, “I will not serve Thee.” 
Lord, do not come to me to punish me as I 


AUGUST. 


135 


deserve! Jesus, my Teacher, the Wisdom 
of the Father, comes to me, His lowest dis¬ 
ciple ! Very seldom do I listen to His words. 
He wants to instruct me, yet my distracted 
mind is soon turned away from Him by 
other thoughts. Lord, is it possible that 
Thou dost not turn away from me? I must 
wonder still more when I consider that He 
comes as a friend to me who have so often 
treacherously betrayed Him and preferred the 
miserable friendship of creatures to His. 
Lord, canst Thou still harbor feelings of love 
and friendship toward those that betray 
Thee? Indeed, Thou didst manifest them 
in the Garden of Olives, and to-day Thou 
dost so again. He comes to me as my 
Brother. Dost Thou not know, O Lord, that 
I am Cain, who murdered Thee, the innocent 
Abel, by my sins? My soul, dare you con¬ 
sider yourself His spouse? Oh, how often 
I have withdrawn my heart from Jesus 
Christ and inclined it toward creatures! I 
am poorer than Lazarus covered with sores 
and wounds before the door of the rich man. 


136 


MEDITATION I. 


Alas, I should feed on the morsels that fall 
from the table, so great is my misery. Like 
unto the traveler that went down from Jeru¬ 
salem to Jericho, I too lay wounded and 
robbed on the wayside; I am blind and sur¬ 
rounded by darkness, I am neither warm nor 
cold, causing disgust to my Lord.. . Yet He 
comes to me, and yet He wishes to enter my 
poor dwelling! A thousand times more than 
St. Peter, I have reason to exclaim: “Lord, 
depart from me, for I am a sinful man! O 
Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst 
come to me.” 

Third Point. Why Does Jesus Come 
to Me? —If I consider my misery and ab¬ 
jection, fear fills my soul. As the debtor, 
at sight of his powerful creditor, is struck 
by the thought: he comes to demand pay¬ 
ment; as a runaway slave in sight of his 
master trembles at thought of punishment; 
as a traitor tries to escape the glance and the 
revenge of a betrayed friend; thus I should 
fear the arrival of Jesus. 0 Lord, I tremble 
and am shaken before Thy face. Yet, why 


'AUGUST. 


137 


fear, my -soul ? “Why art thou sad, 0 my 
soul? and why dost thou trouble me?” 
(Ps. xli. 6.) Dost not hear how Jesus in the 
sacred Host calls out, “It is I, be not afraid” 
(John vi. 20) ? Certainly He comes as your 
King and Creditor; yet not to sell you, nor 
to take away all that is yours, but to assure 
you that all is remitted, forgiven and for¬ 
gotten. He comes as Master and Teacher; 
not to punish you, but to lead you to Him¬ 
self with a gentle hand, and to instruct you 
anew in the ways of truth. He will not 
reproach you for having abandoned His 
friendship; no, He will press you to His 
heart, as if He had found a treasure. He 
will not be separated from you as from a 
faithless bride, but will again unite Himself 
with you and promise you fidelity, He that 
never broke it. He comes not to disinherit 
you, although you have deserved it, but to 
give you a rich, overflowing measure of 
graces. My soul, what more do you wish? 
He comes as the merciful Samaritan, to take 
care of your wounds, pour oil and wine into 


138 


MEDITATION I. 


them, to nurse you until you have recovered 
from all your hurts; His light shall dispel 
your darkness and destroy your tepidity like 
an all-devouring fire, that He may hence¬ 
forth possess you sole and undivided. 

O Lord, come, then, to me! “As the 
hart panteth after the fountains of water, 
so my soul panteth after Thee, O my God. 
My soul hath thirsted after the strong living 
God; when shall I come and appear before 
the face of God?” (Ps. xli. 2.) 

O Lord, come, yes, come! Come especially 
as my Redeemer, my Brother, my Bride¬ 
groom, and my Physician, when the suffer¬ 
ings of my last illness shall bring me to the 
threshold of eternity. Oh, then heal the 
wounds of my soul, remit to me the debt of 
my infidelities that may still oppress me! 
Help me also to receive Thee now in that dis¬ 
position which I wish to have in that last, 
all-deciding moment, that Thy last entrance 
into my heart be for me the richest in grace 
and happiness. 

Prayer after Meditation . 


AUGUST. 


139 


MEDITATION II. 

Jesus, Zealous for Souls . 

First Prelude.— Behold Jesus Christ 
when speaking these words: “For the Son of 
man is come to seek and save that which was 
lost” (Luke xix. 10). 

Second Prelude.— Let us beg Jesus 
Christ to grant us a glowing zeal for souls. 

First Point. Jesus Christ, Zealous 
for Souls in His Public Life. —Consider 
how Jesus Christ sacrifices the most tender 
affections of His heart by separating from 
His beloved Mother, leaving solitude to 
devote Himself to public life, and all the in¬ 
conveniences and fatigues connected with it. 
He patiently bears with the troublesome mul¬ 
titude who seek instruction and healing from 
Him and do not leave Him a minute’s rest. 
We never hear Him complain. After having 
spent the day in fatiguing work, He received 
at night Nicodemus, who from human respect 
does not venture to approach Him in day- 


140 


MEDITATION II. 


time to be instructed by Him. How fiery is 
the love of Jesus for souls! What a zeal for 
their salvation! Behold Him when, fatigued 
after the journey, He sits at Jacob’s Well to 
convert a poor sinner. He takes hold of 
every occasion to teach and to save... We 
must imitate this holy zeal of Jesus; our 
calling imposes this duty on us. By this 
zeal, above all, can we prove our love for 
God. “If you love God,” says St. Augustine, 
“cause others to love Him.” To become a 
useful instrument in the hands of God I must 
first and above all sanctify myself. I must give 
an edifying example to all that come in con¬ 
tact with me. Ho sacrifice should be too 
great when there is question of furthering 
the salvation of my neighbor. What could 
be more sublime than promoting the knowl¬ 
edge and love of God in the hearts of 
little ones. To walk beside them, as it were, 
as their guardian angel, to preserve them 
from sin! How many children would one 
day ascribe their salvation to my care and 
vigilance, if I burned with zeal for souls. 


AUGUST. 


141 


But is that so in my case ? Or is it sufficient 
for me to instruct the children in secular 
knowledge, while I show no care for their 
eternal welfare? 0 Jesus, Lover of souls, 
who hast devoted Thy whole self to their 
welfare, grant me that zeal which is ready 
for all things when there is an opportunity 
of showing Thee love by winning souls for 
Thee! 

Second Point. Jesus Full of Zeal for 
Souls in His Passion. —If Jesus was full 
of zeal for souls during His whole public 
life, He manifested this specially during His 
bitter Passion. He had come down to earth 
to suffer and die for us. His Passion was 
continually before His mind; He often spoke 
of it and longed for it. Yet, what a Passion 
did He approach! Consider that long chain 
of humiliations, insults, and sufferings! 
Consider His appearance, His tears, the drops 
of His precious blood! All His wounds, 
every drop that He sheds, His last breath, 
the piercing of His holy side—all exclaim 
to us: “I love thee, I long for thee. I suffer 


142 


MEDITATION II. 


all this to save Thy soul, to make it eternally 
happy with Me in heaven.” “Yes, it was 
this thirst,” says St. Augustine, “that con¬ 
sumed Christ on the cross!” If I possess 
true zeal for souls I must imitate my Saviour 
in His love for suffering! I, too, surely meet 
crosses and difficulties in my office or my 
charge; the more joyfully I bear them, the 
more surely I can count on God’s blessing to 
be amply poured over my work. If I want 
to labor successfully for the salvation of my 
neighbor, if I want to co-operate effectively 
in the conversion of sinners, I must love 
suffering. If God visits me with sickness, 
if my best intentions are misunderstood, if 
God allows temptations to assail me—behold, 
all these are means whereby I can save souls. 
It will always remain true that to further 
the welfare of souls as well as to sanctify 
ourselves we must suffer, we must suffer 
much. Who would, then, allow himself to 
be depressed by suffering and difficulties! 0 
Jesus, grant me a share in Thy holy zeal, 
and also in Thy love for suffering. 


AUGUST. 


143 


Third Point. Jesus Zealous for 
Souls in the Blessed Sacrament. —In the 
Blessed Sacrament Jesus is ever and always 
the great Zealot of souls. For their salvation 
He daily descends a thousand times on the 
altar, as once He descended into the virginal 
womb of Mary. In His holy tabernacle He 
awaits all, sinners and just alike. With 
friendliness He invites them to come to Him. 
He offers them His merits, His intercession, 
His mediation, to be at their disposal. As 
in heaven, He always pleads in our favor. 
There is no minute in the day or the night 
when He does not send up a prayer, a sigh 
to His heavenly Father for the welfare of 
His holy Church, the conversion of sinners, 
the perseverance of the just. Hot every one 
is called for direct participation in instruc¬ 
tion and education of youth or other works 
of love; but there are other means within 
reach of all of working successfully for the 
salvation of souls. I can offer up to God in 
this intention my daily work and occupation, 
the crosses and troubles of life. Thus I 


144 


MEDITATION II. 


share in the merits of my sisters and draw 
down God’s blessing on their activity. One 
of the most effective means, however, to win 
souls to heaven is and always will he prayer. 
Some must work in the vineyard of the Lord, 
others must pray that the dew of heaven cover 
and saturate it. God wills that some devote 
themselves to the instruction, the education 
of children, others to the care of sick; yet 
it is He Himself whose grace must touch 
their hearts, and this grace will always be 
the fruit of prayer. 

Divine Saviour, since I know by Thy 
words and example that nothing rejoices Thee 
as much as the happiness of souls, I take the 
firm and irrevocable resolution to participate 
in the sublime work of saving souls by all the 
means at my disposal, especially by good ex¬ 
ample and fervent prayer. Bless this reso¬ 
lution, and give me strength and grace to 
fulfil it to my death. 

Prayer after Meditation . 


AUGUST. 


145 


MEDITATION III. 

Mutual Forbearance. 

First Prelude. —Behold Jesus Christ 
surrounded by His apostles. The one grieves 
Him by overbearing pride, the other by 
childish questions, a third by inconsiderate 
zeal, another again by falsehood. He bears 
with them all. 

Second Prelude. —Bevere the lovable 
sentiments of the Lord and ask Him for 
grace to imitate Him in all things. 

First Point. Forbearance is a Neces¬ 
sity of Charity. —Love and forbearance 
are inseparably united. We must bear with 
those we love, for every one has his weak¬ 
nesses and defects; in heaven alone there is 
not this necessity. Of course, it is not hard 
to have intercourse with angels, or men with¬ 
out obvious faults, but it yields little merit. 
Every one has his peculiar way; his inclina¬ 
tions and characteristics are different from 
our own; his conceptions and views are 
often directly opposite; the direction, most 


146 


MEDITATION III. 


likely, of the will may be extremely diver¬ 
gent. Forbearance is, therefore, absolutely 
necessary if many should be one heart and 
one so,ul; without it concord of hearts, peace, 
is as little possible as the union of fire and 
water, of light and darkness. Daily ex¬ 
perience teaches me this sufficiently. Should 
I, then, not be willing to yield to the un¬ 
avoidable? Shall love, this gift of heaven, 
be driven out from my surroundings through 
my fault? It has been banished out of the 
world and justly seeks a place of refuge in 
the convent. Shall it be driven hence like¬ 
wise ? How do we, then, fulfil the command 
of the Lord: “Love one another, as I have 
loved you” (John xiii. 34) ? The fulfilling 
of this commandment is the distinctive mark 
of the disciples of Christ: “By this shall all 
men know that you are My disciples, if you 
have love for one another.” Will not the 
blessing of God depart from our house when 
love leaves it? Our God is a God of love 
and peace, who can not abide where disunion 
and quarrels dwell. Have I heretofore con- 


AUGUST. 


147 


sidered forbearance as the source of peace 
and love ? Or was I sensitive like the plant 
that at the least touch curls up its leaves, to 
show itself hurt, as it were ?.. . Perhaps this 
is my usual way of acting. How does this 
agree with the urgent exhortations to love 
that my Holy Rule gives?.. . We must bear 
with one another with patience and love, 
adapt ourselves to the moods of our sisters 
and be indulgent toward their imperfections 
and foibles. This is the principal means 
of preserving harmony and love. 

Second Point. Forbearance is a De¬ 
mand of the Divine Law.— Remember that 
it was not sufficient for God to recommend 
forbearance, but that He caused these words 
to be written in Holy Scripture: “The learn¬ 
ing of a man is known by patience: and his 
glory is to pass over wrongs” (Prov. xix. 11). 
He made forbearance a duty for all Christi¬ 
ans, especially for all religious. He has re¬ 
peatedly commanded it, foreseeing how hard 
the practice of this virtue would be for many. 
“Now we ought to bear the infirmities of the 


148 


MEDITATION III. 


weak” (Rom. xv. 1). Bear ye one another’s 
burdens; and so you shall fulfil the law of 
Christ” (Gal. vi. 2). “Be ye kind one to 
another; merciful, forgiving one another, 
even as God hath forgiven you in Christ” 
(Ephes. iv. 32). Thus the Holy Ghost 
speaks by His apostles. Jesus Christ Him¬ 
self commands forbearance, and there is no 
cause that can exempt us from this com¬ 
mand. If you forgive men their sins, your 
heavenly Father will forgive your sins like¬ 
wise; but if you forgive not every one his 
brother from your hearts, neither shall my 
heavenly Father pardon you (Matt, xviii. 
35). Remember, my soul, that these are 
words of the eternal Truth, of Jesus Christ, 
who is faithful in His promises and likewise 
in His threats. With the same measure I 
deal out, it shall be meted back to me. O 
my God, is it then possible, that bearing 
these truths in mind, I should be fault-find¬ 
ing? Thou hast to bear so much from me 
every day, yea, every hour, every time I 
commit sin, yet Thou bearest with me. Once, 


AUGUST. 


149 


however, 0 my soul, the Lord will have to 
fulfil His threat; then the words of St. Chry¬ 
sostom will be applicable to you: “If thou 
dost not bear with thy neighbor, how can 
God tolerate thee ?” A thousand talents 
have been remitted to us, and should we not 
remit a trifle and let it pass as if unnoticed ? 
How can I so often repeat: “Forgive us our 
trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass 
against us” ? What assurance the conscious¬ 
ness of having been forbearing will bring us 
one day! Lord, I have failed in many things, 
yet I trust and rely on Thy word. I will be¬ 
come forbearing, and indulgent and yielding; 
bear with me, then, now and in eternity. 

Third Point. Forbearance is Required 
in Justice. —Every one has his weaknesses 
—I surely am not free from them. I desire, 
like all men, that others bear with me, but 
would it, then, not be a great injustice if I 
were unwilling to bear with others? We 
complain about the imperfections of another. 
Have we not some of our own ? Their 
character, their mood does not please us. 


150 


MEDITATION III. 


Have we not humors ourselves? Our neigh¬ 
bor is angry, is irritable, excitable; do no 
angry words ever escape us ?.. . That sister 
always has a thousand excuses for her wrong; 
she never yields. Is not the same true of 
me? Yea, have we never so far forgotten 
ourselves as to deem ourselves better than 
another ?... “He that is without sin among 
you, let him first cast a stone at her” (John 
viii. 7). It is very unjust to demand of 
others what we ourselves do not give; to 
demand our right of others and to neglect 
doing our own duty. Must I not ascribe to 
this state of things the fact that I do not 
enjoy as much esteem from my sisters as I 
should like to enjoy? 

O my God, I thank Thee for Thy forbear¬ 
ance with me. Grant that I follow Thy ex¬ 
ample. And if love, Thy command and justice 
do not move me, let at least Thy threats pre¬ 
vail on me.. . From now on I will try to 
bear all with a joyful heart, that thou mayst 
be an indulgent Judge to me in judgment. 

Prayer after Meditation. 


SEPTEMBER. 


MEDITATION I. 

Thanksgiving after Holy Communion. 

First Prelude. —Let us imagine our¬ 
selves in the house of Elizabeth at the 
moment when Mary enters. Hear Elizabeth 
exclaim: “Whence is this to me that the 
Mother of my Lord should come to me?” 
(Luke i. 43.) 

Second Prelude. —Ask for the grace to 
make good use of the precious time after 
Holy Communion. 

First Point. The Duty of Thanks¬ 
giving. —The moments after receiving Holy 
Communion are the most precious of my 
life. Faith tells me that Jesus Christ has 
entered my heart, He, the Son of the living 
God, the immense, the Creator of the world, 
the highest Master and Lord of all things, 
my future Judge; that He has come to me, 
151 



152 


MEDITATION I. 


a poor lowly creature, not worthy of His at¬ 
tention, a poor sinner that has more than 
one reason to tremble before the God of 
sanctity; yet when this great King and Lord 
comes to me, is it not becoming and just 
that all the faculties and powers of my soul 
should center about Him, should keep Him 
company, should do Him homage, should 
converse with Him and listen to Him ? 
Memory, understanding, and will, all should 
do homage to the Creator. “Bless the Lord, 
O my soul: and let all that is within me 
bless His holy name” (Ps. cii. 1). Would it 
not be a great irreverence to leave such a 
guest alone in the interior of my heart, while 
occupying myself with something else ? 
Would I dare treat a friend or a person of 
high rank thus? O my Jesus, pardon me 
that so often I have showed less reverence 
and consideration to Thee, my Lord and 
King, than to an ordinary person. 

What does gratitude ask of me? Hever 
can I lack cause for gratitude. “Behold,” 
says St. John^ “what manner of cha- 


SEPTEMBER. 


153 


rity the Father has bestowed upon us” 
(1 John iii. 1). He nourishes us, not like His 
people in the desert, with the manna from 
heaven, but with the flesh and blood of His 
only-begotten Son. The Israelites “did eat 
manna and are dead.” “He that eateth 
this Bread, shall live forever” (John vi. 59). 
The Son of God Himself has atoned for my 
sins by a life of hardship and sacrifice, in 
the Garden of Olives, at the column of flagel¬ 
lation, on the dolorous way to Calvary, and 
on the wood of the cross where He expired 
amidst excruciating pain. All this He suf¬ 
fered, not because He was forced to, nor for 
any advantage for Himself, but solely and 
singly for love of me. It was not enough for 
Him to open heaven for me by His suffer¬ 
ings, and as it were, to lead me by His hand, 
but He instituted as a memorial of His suf¬ 
fering and for my support the Blessed Sacra¬ 
ment, in which He desires to dwell among 
us and enter into our hearts as divine Food. 
O my soul, “as often as you shall eat this 
bread, and drink the chalice, you shall show 


154 


MEDITATION I. 


the death of the Lord, until He come” 
(1 Cor. xi. 26). Thank Him for all this, in 
union with all angels and saints of heaven, 
for now is the time to exclaim with St. Paul, 
“Thanks he to God for His unspeakable gift” 
(2 Cor. ix. 15). What does my own clear 
interest tell me? After Holy Communion 
I have Jesus Christ, God—within me. I 
own Him. My soul, how canst thou under¬ 
stand this ? The poorest one owns the 
richest. The weak one possesses the Source 
of all might and strength. The sick one the 
mightiest Physician, who gives Himself as 
a remedy which bestows immortality. After 
Holy Communion we can ask Jesus more 
ardently to penetrate us with His spirit, to 
fill us with His love. He too is then more 
inclined to enlighten thee, my soul, to spur 
thee on to good, to strengthen thee. To leave 
unused the precious time after Holy Com¬ 
munion is the act of a fool who might take 
riches with full hands out of the treasury of 
the king, but will not trouble himself to 
do so. 


SEPTEMBER. 


155 

Second Point. How Our Thanksgiv¬ 
ing Must Be Made. —We must incite our¬ 
selves with all possible ardor to adore Jesus 
Christ, who rests in our hearts, to thank 
Him, to give ourselves entirely to Him, and 
to ask Him for graces for ourselves and for 
others. Therefore, adoration, thanksgiving, 
offering of myself, prayer for grace, are what 
Jesus desires of me after Holy Communion. 
Is He not just in desiring this? Is He 
not the God of heaven and earth, whose 
adorable majesty constitutes the happiness 
and delight of the angels and saints? “I 
adore Thee, hidden God—to Thee do I sub¬ 
mit my entire heart, for meditating upon 
Thee, it is entirely lost in admiration.” Does 
not Jesus show me the greatest of all benefits 
by giving Himself to me? Although He is 
all-wise, He could not think of anything bet¬ 
ter ; although He is immensely rich, He does 
not possess anything more costly; and al¬ 
though He is almighty, He could not give us 
anything greater. “What shall I render to 
the Lord, for all the things He hath rendered 


156 


MEDITATION I. 


to me ?” (Ps. cxv. 3.) He gives Himself to me 
entirely, His Godhead and Humanity, His 
"body and His soul. Is it, then, not becoming 
and just that I too should give myself to Him 
entirely, with all that I have and am, and 
that not only after Holy Communion, hut 
throughout the whole day, yes, all the days 
of my life? Must I not place at His feet 
the best resolutions, promising Him to fight 
more earnestly against my predominant 
passion, to be more punctual and conscien¬ 
tious in this or that point of the Holy Rule; 
to be more zealous in acquiring that virtue 
which I make my special solicitude; to be 
more generous in all that requires struggle 
and sacrifice? 

And, then, my prayer! When can the 
word of Our Lord, O my soul, be better veri¬ 
fied than after Holy Communion? “If you 
ask the Father anything in My name, He 
will give it” (John xvi. 23). Then Jesus 
prays in thee, with thee, for thee; thy peti¬ 
tions become His. “You shall draw water 
with joy out of the Saviour’s fountains” 


SEPTEMBER. 


157 


(Is. xii. 3). O my God, 0 Jesus, grant that I 
may understand the value, the power, yea, 
the almightiness of this prayer! 

Accept, then, O God, my resolutions, upon 
which I implore Thy blessing, through the 
intercession of Mary. Thanksgiving shall 
from now on he the object of my particular 
attention. I will make the most of the pre¬ 
cious moments after receiving Thy divine 
flesh and blood. . . Often during the day I 
will call to mind the great grace conferred 
on me in the morning, and when kneeling 
before the tabernacle this shall be my first 
thought. I will put into practice the good 
resolutions I made when united to Thy 
Divine Heart. Holy Mary, Mother of God, 
obtain for me some of those emotions which 
filled thee when receiving thy divine Son 
after His death in Holy Communion. 

Prayer after Meditation . 


158 


MEDITATION II. 


MEDITATION II. 

Prayer . 

First Prelude. —Behold Jesus saying to 
His apostles: “We ought always to pray and 
not to faint” (Luke xviii. 1). 

Second Prelude. —Ask for the grace to 
understand the necessity of constant prayer, 
and to know the means to obtain it. “Lord, 
teach me to pray ” (Luke xi. 1). 

First Point. Why Must We Pray Con¬ 
stantly ?—Consider that no duty has been ex¬ 
pounded in the holy Gospel oftener and more 
impressively than the necessity of having re¬ 
course to prayer. “We ought always to pray 
and not to faint” (Luke xviii. 1), are the 
words of Jesus, our highest Lawgiver. “Ask 
and ye shall receive” (Matt. vii. 7). “Pray 
without ceasing,” says the Holy Ghost 
through the mouth of the apostles. “In all 
things give thanks; for this is the will of 
God in Christ Jesus, concerning you all” 
(Thess. v. 17). In many other passages 
Our Lord repeats the same admonition, and 


SEPTEMBER. 


159 


makes use of the most striking parables. The 
saints likewise insist on the duty of prayer. 
St. Augustine says, “In all that thou begin- 
nest, invoke God first, thank Him, and when 
thou hast finished thank Him likewise.” 
“Whoever prays shall be saved, who does not 
pray shall be lost” (St. Alphonsus). All 
these words of the saints were spoken for 
me. If heretofore I have not prayed con¬ 
stantly, I must make use of the means of 
correcting myself in this regard. But why 
shall I pray constantly? 

First, to escape the numberless adversities 
of body and soul that constantly threaten 
every man, especially the greatest misfortune 
—an unhappy death. “Every day,” says 
St. Chrysostom, “we strike many rocks which 
could cause our shipwreck,” and Jesus Christ 
Himself says with all stress: “And take heed 
to yourselves, lest perhaps your hearts be 
overcharged with surfeiting. .. and the cares 
of this life and that day come upon you 
suddenly. Watch ye, therefore, praying at 
all times.” 


160 


MEDITATION II. 


Second, to obtain the assistance of heaven: 
it is indispensable to salvation, for to be 
heard, according to the words of the Lord, 
we must pray constantly and not grow lax. 
Thus did that widow who by her constant 
entreaties moved the wicked judge to obtain 
justice for her. “He told them a parable 
about this, that we ought always to pray and 
not faint” (Luke xviii. 1). 

Third , to be able to perform every good 
work in the manner God desires of me. 
“Prayer is the principal sinew of the soul,” 
says St. John Chrysostom. From the moment 
that this sinew is cut or weakened, one can 
no longer walk the way of virtue; he will be 
limping, like Jacob, and his whole life will 
be a chain of faults and weakness. Whoever 
holds the staff of prayer in hand will not 
stumble, and should he even stumble once, 
he will not fall to the ground. 

Our vocation being a vocation of love, we 
must ask for all this not only for ourselves, 
but for all those souls that can partake with 
us of the glory of heaven. . . O my soul, can 


SEPTEMBER. 


161 


you ever lack subject-matter for prayer ? Can 
you thank God sufficiently for allowing you, 
a poor lowly creature, to raise hands and 
heart to Him in prayer ? 

Second Point. How Must We Pray 
Constantly? —Is it not impossible even for 
a religious to pray constantly? Consider 
that we can pray in a threefold manner. 
First, by conversing with God orally or men¬ 
tally; secondly, by working for God, there¬ 
by changing our work to prayer; thirdly, by 
being ready to return to prayer as soon as 
our exterior occupations allow. I ought to be 
in one of these three dispositions at all times. 
Is this actually the case with me? If the 
time for meditation has come, do I let it pass 
unused? Do I shun the trouble which a 
good meditation causes? Ah, if I do not 
use well even these moments, how will the 
other time of the day be? How do I recite 
my Office, my rosary ? Can I really call their 
recitation a prayer, and a conversation with 
God ? Or can I apply to myself the words 
of a saint: “How can you wish that God 


162 


MEDITATION II. 


understand you, since you do not understand 
yourself ?” Do I work in the presence of 
God ? Do I offer my occupations, mental as 
well as physical, repeatedly to God, and do I 
renew the good intention made at morning 
prayer? Do I seek to sanctify my work by 
frequent ejaculations, thus keeping my mind 
in union with God? The Ven. Louis de 
Ponte was accustomed to repeat almost in¬ 
cessantly: “For Thee, my God, for Thee.” 
Thus he prayed uninterruptedly, whatever 
his occupation might be. How easily I could 
acquire this habit; how it would strengthen 
me in temptation, fill me with courage in 
dangerous circumstances, against all obstacles 
of virtue! This does not surpass my 
strength; others could do it; why not I ? 

Am I ready to return to prayer as soon as 
possible? In this respect I ought to resemble 
a miser whose mind is always occupied with 
money, in the daytime, during the night, at 
rising and at retiring? Eagerly he seizes 
every opportunity to earn something, be 
it ever so little. What a shame for me!— 


SEPTEMBER . 


163 


prayer should be the passion that governs me, 
the center to which I continually return. Is 
it so with me ? How do I employ my leisure 
moments ? On beholding a crucifix or a 
picture of devotion in the convent hall, is an 
ejaculation on my lips? These objects have 
not been placed on the walls merely as orna¬ 
ments, but to spur us on and to encourage 
us. Is the thought of meditation my last 
one in the evening and my first one on awak¬ 
ening ? When the bell summons me to prayer, 
can I say with an upright heart: “I rejoice 
in this that was told me, we shall go to the 
house of the Lord” (Ps. cxxi. 1) ? 

O God, grant me this spirit of prayer, 
teach me how to pray. Help me to recollect 
my distracted mind, that when my lips speak 
to Thee, my heart may remain with Thee, 
that I may ever act for Thee and with Thee. 
When shall I ever be so happy as to reach 
this goal? O Lord, if I am a religious and 
do not possess the spirit of prayer, I dis¬ 
appoint Thee, cheat the world and myself, 
and have no claim to the name of a religious; 


164 


MEDITATION III. 


my activity is without fruit, my vocation is 
in danger. Ye holy apostles, whom Jesus 
Himself instructed in prayer, obtain for us 
the grace to pray always and not to be remiss. 

Prayer after Meditation. 


MEDITATION III. 

Perseverance. 

First Prelude. —Behold Jesus Christ as 
He says to His disciples: “He that shall 
persevere to the end, he shall be saved” 
(Matt. x. 22). Let us imagine we are these 
disciples. 

Second Prelude. —An ardent prayer not 
only to persevere in the state of grace, but 
in zeal and love. 

First Point. Necessity of Persever¬ 
ance. —Becall the happy disposition in 
which you were at the end of the yearly re¬ 
treat. . . What zeal—how many good resolu¬ 
tions !.. . If I would put them all into prac¬ 
tice, what a splendid reward would be mine! 


SEPTEMBER. 


165 


Without perseverance they are all null and 
void. Either I must persevere in zeal or I 
must renounce the reward which has been 
prepared for a zealous religious. I have 
only this alternative. “Perseverance,” say 
the holy Fathers, “is a daughter of the 
highest king, the food and consummation of 
all virtues, Jacob’s ladder, on the highest 
round of which God Himself descends.” St. 
Jerome says, “The crown has not been 
promised to a good beginning, not to the good 
continuation, but to the end.” 

“Perfect Thou my goings in Thy paths 
that my footsteps be not moved” (Ps. xvi. 
5). Lead me to a good end, lest I also, 
having begun well, be lost in the end. 

Second Point. Means of Persever¬ 
ance. —Jesus Christ indicated these means 
in these few words: “Take ye heed therefore, 
watch ye and pray” (Mark xiii. 33). And 
St. Peter repeats: “Be prudent and watch in 
prayer” (1 Peter iv. 7). 

“Behold,” says the Lord. What shall we 
behold, 0 Lord ? “Let the light of Thy face 


166 


MEDITATION III. 


shine upon Thy servant” (Ps. cxviii. 135). 
Behold, O my soul, all the miseries that be¬ 
fell those that did not persevere. Solomon 
lost his wisdom, Samson his strength, Saul 
his kingdom, Adam his own happiness and 
that of all his descendants. Woe to those, 
says the Holy Ghost (Ecelus. ii. 16), that 
lose patience and forsake the right way. 
What shall we do when the Lord enters into 
judgment upon ns ? Justice will be of no avail 
to the just (Ez. xi. 12). All will be lost for 
him if he lacks perseverance. Behold Jesus, 
our Model, as in every virtue, so also in 
perseverance. “Father, I have finished the 
work which Thou hast given Me to do” 
(John xvii. 4). He drank the chalice of the 
Passion unto the dregs. The Scribes and 
Pharisees, the helpers of the devil, chal¬ 
lenged Him to leave His work unaccom¬ 
plished by bidding Him descend from the 
cross, but He bore their sarcasm, and expired 
only when He could say with full truth, “All 
is consummated.” Behold, likewise, the ex¬ 
amples of the saints, that however far they 


SEPTEMBER . 


167 


might be advanced in virtue, ever trembled 
for their salvation when they remembered 
the words: “Who stands, let him take heed 
lest he fall.” They asked and conjured the 
Lord to give them that grace without which 
all others are of no avail. St. Thomas 
Aquinas asked daily for the grace to per¬ 
severe unto the end in his first zeal.. . Oh, 
Lord, open the eyes of my soul, that these 
models may ever be before my mind. 

“Watch,” says Our Lord, further. O my 
soul, thou hast an enemy that is striving to 
take entire possession of thee. He never 
sleeps, but ever watches. It is Satan who 
dominates all bad inclinations and passions. 
Pride, distraction of the mind, sloth, im¬ 
patience, aversion, envy, inconstancy, all will 
do their best at his bidding to enter thy 
heart, and if they succeed in effecting an en¬ 
trance, it will be very hard for thee to re¬ 
move them. One will follow the other, and 
unawares the spirit of lukewarmness will 
rule in thee. Should I allow that? Ex¬ 
perience has taught me too often that this 


108 


MEDITATION III. 


is the common course. When will this ex¬ 
perience make me prudent ? 

“Pray,” says the Lord. “If the Lord does 
not watch the city, the watchmen watch in 
vain” (Ps. exxvi. 1). Prayer is the flame 
which gives new warmth and fire to hearts 
beginning to get cold. Without continued, 
confident, devout prayer there will be no 
zeal, no joy in undertakings, no success in 
charitable works, no firmness in virtue. . 

And now, my soul, how dost thou apply 
these means of perseverance ? How hast thou 
applied them heretofore ?. How wilt thou do 
it in future ? Dost thou often remember the 
presence of God? Is the example of Jesus 
and of the saints frequently before thy 
mind ? LIow dost thou use the means of per¬ 
severance which thy Holy Buies offer: daily 
examens, Divine Office, meditation, spiritual 
reading, monthly retreat, confession and 
Holy Communion? All virtues are, so to 
say, in a race, but perseverance alone obtains 
the prize. “Perseverance alone,” says St. 
Bernard, “gives heaven to man, and man to 


SEPTEMBER. 


169 


heaven.” Therefore, it is useless to run if 
one does not intend to run unto the end of 
the race-track. Of what use is the seed that 
shoots up but is destroyed before harvest¬ 
time? We shall reap in due time, says the 
Apostle, if we do not grow tired. The be¬ 
ginning is something, but perseverance is all. 
Judas began well, but did not persevere. 
“Blessed are they who walk in the law of the 
Lord,” says the Psalmist(Ps. cxviii. 1). And 
Jesus Christ said, “Be faithful unto death, 
and I will give thee the crown of life.” My 
soul, if these words of the Lord and His 
saints fail to make an impression on thee, 
consider to what dangers thou exposest thy¬ 
self when slacking in thy first zeal; to the 
danger not only of losing the reward of a 
good religious, but of losing thy eternal sal¬ 
vation. If tepidity has seized thee, how 
will it end with thee? Thou toilest on a 
steep decline; once thou hast fallen, it will 
be hard for thee to rise. In the beginning it 
would have been easy to resist, but now who 
knows what might happen! Loss of thy vo- 


170 


MEDITATION III. 


cation and the great graces connected with 
it, perhaps loss of eternal bliss! 

O my soul, what dangers! O my God, 
how many means of perseverance, but also 
how many reasons for my shame! !No, Lord, 
if I have not kept my first zeal, it is not Thy 
fault; it is only my laziness and lukewarm¬ 
ness which have caused it. Forgive, O Lord, 
forgive. I will do better. Ye saints of 
heaven, who have persevered unto the end, 
and now enjoy the reward, obtain for me the 
grace to carry out my resolution. 

Prayer after Meditation . 


OCTOBER. 


MEDITATION I. 

The Motives that Induced Jesus to Institute 
the Blessed Sacrament. 

First Prelude. —Behold our divine Sa¬ 
viour saying the words: “Do this for a com¬ 
memoration of Me” (Luke xxii. 19). 

Second Prelude. —Grant us, O Lord, to 
understand the motives that induced Thee to 
institute the Blessed Sacrament, and to be 
thereby inflamed with the most ardent love. 

First Point. Jesus instituted the 
Blessed Sacrament that we might 
think of Him always. —Jesus could not 
remain with us forever, yet His heart desired 
to do so; His wisdom and omnipotence in¬ 
vented a means to return to His Father and 
at the same time to remain with us—the in¬ 
stitution of the Blessed Sacrament. Now 
171 



172 


MEDITATION I. 


He calls out to us from all tabernacles of the 
world, “Remember Me, remember Me.” 
Surely it is our duty to fulfil this, His wish, 
for what did His love not do for us! He has 
pardoned our sins, paid our debts with His 
blood. Had it not been for Him we could 
never have been saved, for we were incapable 
of paying the ten thousand talents of our 
debt. He has ransomed us from the slavery 
of the devil in which we sighed and lan¬ 
guished. By His death He broke our fetters; 
now we possess the liberty of the children of 
God. He has conferred on us a thousand 
other benefits; for us He instituted the holy 
sacraments, gave us Mary for our Mother. 
Is it not right and just that we should think 
of Him ? 

He wants us to think of Him as a Judge 
whose eye pursues us everywhere. St. Thomas 
of Aquin says: “If the thought of the benefits 
of Jesus fills our hearts with thanks and love, 
the thought of His omnipresence surely pre¬ 
vents us from sinning, and that was the in¬ 
tention that induced Him to remain with us 


OCTOBER . 


173 


in such a manner so we can hardly forget 
Him.” As a child will not easily do wrong be¬ 
fore the eyes of his parents, so the thought 
that Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament sees us 
will preserve us from evil. Again St. Thomas 
says: “lie also remains with us that we may 
think of the future account to be given, and 
may think of this for an increase of our 
merit.” For surely the thought that Jesus, 
who bestoweth so much good on us and 
watches over us everywhere, will one day 
reward or damn us, is surely capable of in¬ 
citing us zealously to use all occasions to in¬ 
crease our eternal reward. Thus Jesus re¬ 
mains with us to call out to us: “Oh, think 
of Me, your Benefactor, your Witness, your 
Judge.” O Lord, grant that this thought 
may never escape my mind. 

Second Point. Jesus Instituted the 
Blessed Sacrament to Give Us a Worthy 
Sacrifice. —The sacrifics of the Old Testa¬ 
ment were imperfect; they had no intrinsic 
power of forgiveness of sin. “It is im¬ 
possible that by the blood of bulls and heifers 


174 


MEDITATION I. 


the sins of men can be forgiven,” writes St. 
Paul. These sacrifices could impart grace 
only in so far as they were in relation to 
Jesus Christ, the sacrifice of the New Cov¬ 
enant. Therefore, a sacrifice was required 
which should he well pleasing to God, which 
should give satisfaction for our sins, and 
should impart to us the graces of which we 
were in need. Yet where could such a sacri¬ 
fice be found ? If all human beings for all eter¬ 
nity had exhausted their mental strength in 
investigation, never could they have found 
one. The wisdom, omnipotence, and love of 
the Redeemer alone could procure one. He 
gave Himself as a sacrifice. As the only- 
begotten Son of God, He was infinitely well 
pleasing to the Father; as God Himself He 
could pardon our sins, and grant us grace 
for eternal life. 

How grateful must I be to Jesus for the 
institution of the Blessed Sacrament! On 
Calvary Jesus sacrificed Himself in a bloody 
manner; yet Malachias had prophesied that 
in all places of the earth from the rising of 


OCTOBER. 


175 


the sun to the setting thereof a sacrifice 
should be offered. By the institution of the 
Most Holy Sacrament, in which His flesh 
and blood are contained, Jesus has verified 
this prophecy, for in Holy Mass this His 
flesh and blood is daily and in all places 
offered up to God as a sacrifice. Thanks to 
Thee, O good Jesus; now we may confidently 
appear before the throne of God, since we 
possess a sacrifice which is infinitely well 
pleasing to Him. 

Yes, we possess it by Thy love. “Where¬ 
fore when He cometh into the world, He 
saith: Sacrifice and oblation Thou wouldest 
not; but a body Thou hast fitted to Me; 
Holocausts for sin did not please Thee. Then 
said I: Behold I come... that I should do 
Thy will, O God!” (Ilebr. x. 5, 7.) 

Third Point. Jesus Instituted the 
Blessed Sacrament to Prepare a 
Nourishment for Our Souls. —The Jews 
were fed in the desert for forty years with 
the manna of heaven. Elias too received a 
gift from heaven, food brought by an angel, 


176 


MEDITATION I. 


nourished by which he marched forty days 
and forty nights to the Mount of Horeb. 
Jesus fed the multitudes in the desert with 
miraculous bread—but we receive more than 
all these, the Most Holy Eucharist, Holy 
Communion. Jesus Christ has given Him¬ 
self to us as nourishment.. . He has given 
Himself to all without distinction—to the 
good as well as to the bad, to St. John as 
well as to Judas, the traitor. He made this 
sun of love to shine for good and bad.. . 
Jesus unites Himself with us, He lives in 
us—we are in the most intimate manner 
united with Him. . . Wherefore all this, O 
Lord? O my soul, that you might not be 
wanting in food on the way to heaven, that 
you might not be exhausted, but march in 
virtue of this food to the mountain of God— 
heaven. Yes, this food shall restore the evil 
which the forbidden fruit of paradise has 
wrought. The latter had filled the soul with 
darkness, provoked in us the motions of 
sensuality, and caused death for body and 
soul, but the divine food lightens the dark- 


OCTOBER. 177 

ness of the soul, kills sensuality and restores 
life to the body and to the soul. 

O my Lord and Saviour, how could I ever 
sufficiently thank Thee for so much good! 
We must try to correspond to the holy in¬ 
tentions which moved Thee to the institution 
of the Blessed Sacrament. Grant, then, O 
Lord, that we may ever lovingly remember 
Thee, thank Thee for Thy benefits, shun sin 
because Thy eye rests on us, increase our 
merit because Thou wilt be our Judge. We 
offer Thee up to the heavenly Father because 
Thou art infinitely well pleasing to Him and 
canst obtain for us remission of all guilt, and 
overflowing grace. We desire to receive 
Thee, the fruit of the tree of life. Come, 
then, O Lord, into our heart. May the effect 
of Thy entrance correspond to Thy benevo¬ 
lent intention at the institution of the 
Blessed Sacrament; this we ask of Thee 
through the intercession of our dear Mother 
Mary. 

Prayer after Meditation. 


178 


MEDITATION II. 


MEDITATION II. 

Our Wishes and Desires . 

First Prelude. —Behold Jesus Christ 
when, beaming with love, He says to His 
apostles these words: “With desire have I 
desired to eat this Pascli with you” (Luke 
xxii. 15). 

Second Prelude. —As the fruit of this 
meditation, let us ask for the grace to be 
filled with the same wishes and desires which 
filled the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 

First Point. What Does the Sacred 
Heart Desire ?—Consider that the human 
heart is full of inordinate wishes and desires. 
We long for too many things, and what we 
desire we desire too much. Our heart is not 
as God wants it to he. He wishes that our 
desires be directed to heaven, but we turn 
them to the earth. Therefore so much dis¬ 
quietude and lack of peace. One single in¬ 
ordinate desire of our first parents plunged 
the whole human race into sin.. . To teach 
our heart how much to covet and desire, 


OCTOBER . 


179 


the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity 
has taken to Himself a human heart, to be 
like unto us in all things. Let us examine 
the wishes of the Sacred Heart. 

“And I have a baptism wherewith I am 
to be baptized; and how am I straitened 
until it be accomplished ?” (Luke xii. 50.) 
With these words my God and Redeemer 
makes known His desire for His Passion 
and death. The cross which was present to 
His eyes during His whole life was to Him 
the altar on which the sacrifice of Redemp¬ 
tion for the world was to be offered—and He 
longed to ascend this altar. 

“With desire have I desired to eat this 
Pasch with you before I suffer.” Thus spoke 
Our Lord on the night of His capture, to 
teach us how we should long for the banquet 
of love—Holy Communion. Hever can our 
desire for the reception of this holy food 
equal the vehemence that actuated Jesus to 
institute this most holy sacrifice. 

“I thirst” (John xix. 28). “Lord,” a 
holy Father of the Church asks, “for what 


180 


MEDITATION II. 


dost Thou thirst ?” Thou art silent about the 
cross, but proclaimest Thy thirst in a loud 
voice. For what, O Lord, dost Thou thirst ? 
“After thy salvation, thy happiness, O soul. 
For thy sake I suffer more than by the cross.” 
Thus He desires our salvation—yea, the sal¬ 
vation of all men. This desire consumed 
Him like a burning thirst, not only on the 
cross, but during His whole life. The end 
of His life was: “I am come to cast fire on 
the earth, and what will I, but that it be 
kindled?” (Luke xii. 49.) 

O Jesus, these, then, are the flames which 
burst forth from Thy heart: to suffer for us, 
to unite Thyself with us; the salvation of 
souls, the honor of Thy Father! O that 
these flames would consume my heart! Lord, 
send down a spark of that fire into my heart, 
let it enkindle desires like Thine. Does not 
Thy servant Blessed Laurence Justinian tell 
us that we shall advance with giant steps in 
virtue by our good desires? 

Second Point. We Should Make the 
Desires of the Sacred Heart Our 


OCTOBER. 


181 


Desires. —If St. Francis de Sales tells me: 
“Desire nothing, fear nothing,” he intends 
to say that we should desire nothing earthly 
or fear it, hut should with all confidence ac¬ 
quire the wishes and desires of the heart of 
Jesus, to make them our own wishes and 
desires. God Himself praised Daniel be¬ 
cause he was a man of desire. 

My soul, examine thyself. Jesus desired 
to suffer to restore the offended honor of His 
Father. How about my desire after suffer¬ 
ings? Alas, I barely submit to the morti¬ 
fications that my Holy Rules or intercourse 
with fellow beings impose upon me. Jesus 
desires ardently to eat the Pasch with me, 
that is, to let me partake of His own flesh 
and blood in Holy Communion. Do I desire 
ardently to receive Him in this Sacrament 
of love? Oh, if the desire to receive Jesus 
animated me, would I on the eve of Com¬ 
munion days not think oftener and more joy¬ 
fully of the approaching happiness? Jesus 
thirsted for the salvation of souls. I imagine 
myself desirous for the same, yet am I will- 


182 


MEDITATION II. 


ing to work for that purpose? Do I by 
zealous prayer support those that directly 
work for the salvation of souls, the conversion 
of sinners and the spreading of the kingdom 
of God? Do I take to heart the words of 
Thomas a Kempis: “Strive thus to conduct 
thyself that nobody approach thee who does 
not leave thee better than when he came” ? 
Oh, how often I say in the Our Father: “Thy 
kingdom come,” yet hardly do I think of the 
honor of God in the kingdom of souls. How 
weak is my zeal compared to that of Jesus 
Christ and the saints! “To suffer or to die!” 
St. Teresa exclaimed. My weak nature says, 
“Ho, O Lord, neither the one nor the other.” 
The saints loved souls. What scalding tears 
did they not shed for them, how many works 
of penance they practised! How many 
prayers for souls were sent up to heaven! 
They seemed to live but to help their neigh¬ 
bor; yea, St. Paul even wished “to be an 
anathema from Christ, for (his) brethern, 
who (were his) kinsmen according to the 
flesh” (Kom. ix. 3). 

O Jesus, how these models put me to 


OCTOBER. 


183 


shame! Why should I not be able with Thy 
grace to accomplish the same as they ? Grant 
that a holy desire be enkindled in my heart 
and that in me be verified the words of 
St. Laurence: “The holy wishes and desires 
are the beginning, the continuation and the 
completion of virtue; they bestow persever¬ 
ance; they create saints and martyrs; they 
impart strength and remove all trouble.” Be¬ 
hold, O Lord, my heart is full of wishes, it 
often desires honor and esteem before men, 
pleasures and enjoyments of life, satisfaction 
of the senses, of pride and self-love. Oh, take 
all these wishes from my heart, and replenish 
it with better and nobler desire. 

Prayer after Meditation. 

MEDITATION III. 

The Death of a Good Religious. 

First Prelude. —Let us go in spirit to 
the death-bed of a zealous religious.. . She 
holds her crucifix and the blessed candle in 
her hand. Best and peace are portrayed on 
her countenance. 


184 


MEDITATION III. 


Second Prelude. —Ask for grace to be¬ 
gin a life of zeal, which is the necessary 
preparation for a good death. 

First Point. The Past Consoles Her. 
—Every human life is a chain of crosses and 
troubles. There is but one way leading to 
heaven—the road over Calvary. Pious 
Thomas a Kempis says: “Although thou 
shouldst have been rapt up to the third 
heaven with St. Paul, thou art not thereby 
secured that thou shalt suffer no adversity, 
for I (said Jesus) will show him how great 
things he must suffer for My name.” Whether 
we are willing or not, we shall always have 
something to suffer. The zealous religious 
had her share in the lot which no man can 
escape. Yet where are now the trials and 
sufferings which she daily bore in the exer¬ 
cise of her duties ? Where are the numerous 
mortifications that she freely took upon her¬ 
self or that others prepared for her, or that 
her Holy Kule prescribed % They are agree¬ 
able recollections, sources of joy. Oh, how 
different they now appear to her view when 


OCTOBER . 


185 


the glow of the death candle falls upon 
them! 

Where is now the repugnance against which 
she had to fight, the temptations that she had 
to overcome ? She may well congratulate 
herself that, instead of having yielded to 
her natural inclinations, she has chosen as 
her portion the cross of Jesus Christ, with its 
apparent rigor yet real sweetness. She has 
in truth considered her soul to be the acre 
that God entrusted to her, the weeding, plant¬ 
ing and working of which were hard and 
troublesome. How the end of the day has 
come, she may rest and gather in the harvest. 

For though all things pass, her merits re¬ 
main. “Their works follow them” (Apoc. 
xiv. 13), says the Holy Ghost, and “Whoso¬ 
ever shall give to drink to one of these little 
ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a 
disciple, amen I say to you, he shall not lose 
his reward” (Matt. x. 42). “They that sow in 
tears shall reap in joy” (Ps. cxxv. 5). What 
a consolation! What joy at this retrospect! 
Truly, if anything pains her at this moment 


186 


MEDITATION III. 


it is the thought of not having fought more, 
suffered more, worked more. My soul, you 
too shall one day think like her—why not 
act now as you then would wish to have 
acted ? 

Second Point. The Present Gives 
Her Confidence. —If it is true at any 
time that, as the Holy Ghost says: “A secure 
mind is like a continual feast” (Prov. xv. 
15), it is more so during our last moments. 
The zealous religious has in the simplicity 
of her heart sought God, has attempted to 
live by faith, seeing God in all events and 
steering straight toward Him, her only end. 
But what of her faults, to which she, 
like every one, was addicted ?. .. Oh, she 
knows they are washed away in the blood 
of Jesus Christ. She endeavored to replace 
by her prayers and works of penance what 
was wanting to the sufferings of Christ as to 
her. She can therefore look up full of con¬ 
fidence to God, the Father of mercies, the 
God of all consolation, who forgave the debt 
to Mary Magdalen and pardoned the sins of 



OCTOBER. 


187 


the thief on the cross. St. Francis de 
Sales says, “The throne of God’s mercy rests 
on our misery.” Has not her future Judge 
Himself said: “Blessed are the merciful, for 
they shall receive mercy” (Matt. v. 7), and 
“Judge not and you shall not be judged. Con¬ 
demn not and you shall not be condemned. 
Forgive and you shall be forgiven” (Luke 
vi. 37) ? What else has a good religious done 
during her life, but practise mercy, indul¬ 
gence, and love toward her neighbor ? 

If she finds something good in herself, she 
nevertheless counts herself among the un¬ 
profitable servants—“we have done that 
which we ought to do” (Luke xvii. 10). She 
considers “by the grace of God, I am what 
I am” (1 Cor. xv. 10). The magnificent 
words “Well done, thou good and faithful 
servant” resound already in her ears, heaven 
comes down into her soul, it descends as into 
the soul of the penitent thief, when he 
listened to these words: “Amen, I say to thee, 
this day thou shalt be with Me in paradise” 
(Luke xxiii. 43). Her eye may rest con- 


188 


MEDITATION III. 


fidently on her crucifix; she too was cru¬ 
cified with Christ, and like her divine Model 
she was unwilling to descend from it before 
death. Full of consolation, she hears the 
words of holy Church: “The zeal of God was 
in her.” Peacefully she looks around in the 
circle of her surrounding sisters, whom she 
has ever loved and edified by her example. 
O happy death! “Blessed are the dead that 
die in the Lord!” (Apoc. xiv. 13.) Oh, that 
my end was like unto theirs. 

Third Point. The Future Does Not 
Frighten Her. —As the apparent rest of 
the wicked at the approach of death often 
changes into mad despair, thus the fear of 
the just frequently passes at the end of their 
lives into the most peaceful calm, into the 
fullest confidence in God’s limitless mercy. 
If any fear is about to stir, the zealous 
religious may think with St. Teresa: “He 
that will judge me is my best friend.” “I 
know,” she can say, “whom I have be¬ 
lieved,” to whom I have consecrated body and 
soul, intellect, freedom and will, by my holy 



OCTOBER. 


189 


vows, “and I am certain that He is able to 
keep that which I have committed unto Him, 
against that day” (2 Timothy i. 12). “I 
have fought a good fight, I have finished my 
course, I have kept the faith. As to the rest, 
there is laid up for me a crown of justice, 
which the Lord, the just Judge will render 
to me in that day” (2 Timothy iv. 7). Heaven 
opens and in the background, surrounded by 
glory, she beholds the angels and saints, 
Mary, her queen, at the head; she beholds 
her dear ones that went before, her deceased 
sisters.. . Oh, now she understands those 
words that she recited so often here below: 
“I rejoiced at the things that were said to 
me: We shall go to the house of the Lord. 
Our feet were standing in thy courts, O 
Jerusalem” (Ps. cxxi. 1, 2). 

O my God, why am I not aglow with the 
desire of dying the death of the just?... 
Why do I not lead the life of the just, the 
life of a zealous religious ? How foolish to 
prefer the fright on account of the past, the 
fear in the present, the anguish for the 


190 


MEDITATION III. 


future before the sweet heavenly peace of 
the just. My Lord and God, help me, I en¬ 
treat Thee, to regulate my whole life in such 
a way that at my death I may truly say: 
“In peace in the selfsame I will sleep, and 
I will rest: For Thou, O Lord, singularly, 
hast settled me in hope” (Ps. iv. 9). 

Prayer after Meditation . 


NOVEMBER. 


MEDITATION I. 

The Effects of Holy Communion. 

First Prelude.— Place yourself in spirit 
among the disciples of Jesus, when He speaks 
the w T ords: “Except you eat the flesh of the 
Son of man, and drink His blood, you shall 
not have life in you” (John vi. 54). 

Second Prelude. —Ask for grace to ex¬ 
perience in yourself the wonderful effects of 
Holy Communion. 

First Point. Holy Communion Pre¬ 
serves and Increases Purity in Our Soul. 
—St. Bernard says, “Holy Communion 
works two things in us: it diminishes tempta¬ 
tions and preserves us from sin. If any 
among you no longer feels such violent temp¬ 
tations to anger, to envy, to impurity.. .he 
owes it to the body and blood of the Lord; 

191 



192 


MEDITATION I. 


for the strength of the Sacrament is active 
in him” (Serm. de C. D. x). “It soothes,” 
says St. Cyril, “the adverse law in our mem¬ 
bers. . .and stills the tempests of the soul.” 
Holy Church confirms these sayings, when 
declaring that Holy Communion cleanses the 
soul of the worthy receiver from venial sin, 
and prevents it from falling back by dim¬ 
inishing the passions and temptations, these 
two principal sources of all our faults; it 
reveals to the soul the abomination of sin 
and fills it with a great horror of sin; lastly, 
it gives the soul new strength to withstand 
the allurements to sin!... We see, indeed, 
that not only many religious, but thousands 
of Christians living in the midst of a dan¬ 
gerous world, preserve a wonderful purity of 
heart, because they receive Holy Communion 
frequently and worthily. 

What effects has Holy Communion pro¬ 
duced in me? If I find anything good in 
me, I must certainly attribute it to Holy 
Communion alone, which I have the happi¬ 
ness of receiving so often. Must I not, then, 


NOVEMBER. 


193 


be heartily sorry, in less happy times not to 
have known better its purifying strength? 
How many sins might have been avoided! 
With how much greater pleasure would God 
have looked down on me! Has my soul 
reached that degree of purity which she, fed 
with the “wheat of the elect and the wine be¬ 
getting virgins,” might have obtained? If 
not, what is the cause? A neglect of Holy 
Communion; for St. Teresa says that a 
single Holy Communion is capable of render¬ 
ing us saints. And St. Dionysius assures us 
it is a fire which transforms everything 
around it into fire. Thus Our Lord and 
God, who Himself is called a consuming fire 
by Holy Scripture, makes us by this food 
like Himself, yea, He deifies us, as it were. 
Must I, then, not blame myself? Am I al¬ 
ways well and worthily prepared for the re¬ 
ception of this heavenly food? Or is my 
soul, for lack of preparation, like a green 
piece of wood, unfit to burn ? O my soul, in 
this case, beg God that He teach you what 
spirit you ought to maintain in order not 


194 


MEDITATION I. 


only to preserve your purity, but daily to 
increase it. 

Second Point. It Increases and Pre¬ 
serves the Strength of Our Soul.— 
Man lives by the union of soul and body. 
The soul, united to God, by the ties of love 
has supernatural life. The more intimate 
this union, the stronger the soul. A more 
intimate union than between food and the 
one that consumes it can not be imagined; 
food is transformed into flesh and blood, thus 
becoming part of human life. Jesus Christ, 
therefore, chose to give us His holy body and 
His holy blood under the form of food, viz., 
bread and wine. He wanted to become a 
nourishment, to be as closely united with us 
as possible. 0 blessed union! I, unworthy 
one, I, sinful creature, become united with 
God, the infinite holy One. He, the Creator 
of heaven and earth, unites with me. I can 
not doubt it—His infallible, divine word 
tells me so: “He that eateth My flesh and 
drinketh My blood, abideth in Me, and I in 
him” (John vi. 57). What strength must 


NOVEMBER. 


195 


that union impart to my soul! Could it be 
possible otherwise ? The strong One, the 
Lord of hosts, k at whose name all knees bend, 
of those that are in heaven, on earth and 
under the earth, has given Himself to me. 
Although the species no longer remain in me, 
Jesus with His grace abides in me, to be the 
Life of my life, the Soul of my soul. With 
thanks to our God we may acknowledge that 
w T e owe it to Holy Communion, this divine 
Food, if in so many temptations, especially 
those of the flesh, we have been victorious; for 
it makes us like lions breathing flames, ready 
to frighten off devils. (St. Chrys.) We have 
to thank Holy Communion and the strength 
that it imparts, if in the numerous difficulties 
of our vocation and our office, amidst tedious 
trials and many disappointments, as well as 
the ingratitude of men, we do not lose 
courage; to Holy Communion we must, 
lastly, ascribe it if the inestimable grace of 
final perseverance in our vocation will be 
granted to us; for as St. Chrysostom says, 
“By the body of Our Lord I hope one day 


106 


MEDITATION I. 


to possess heaven with all its goods.” Come 
then, 0 my Saviour, come! Behold, she whom 
Thou lovest is weak, is infirm. Speak to 
my soul: “I am thy salvation” (Ps. xxxiv. 3). 

Third Point. It Ennobles and Per¬ 
fects the Soul. —As the shoot of a good 
tree grafted on a wild trunk takes off the 
latter’s bitterness and causes it to bear good 
fruit, so the body of Jesus Christ embodied 
with our own corrects our faults and weak¬ 
nesses, imparts to us His Deity, together 
with the strength of yielding fruits of justice, 
like to those that He Himself produces. Thus 
the angelic Doctor, Thomas of Aquinas, 
teaches. Hot the soul alone, the body like¬ 
wise partakes in this ennobling process. This 
holy Food not only strengthens us against all 
impure temptations, it diminishes them like¬ 
wise, and if one day our bodies rise from the 
grave, glorious, impassible, immortal, this 
proceeds from having been fed with the most 
holy flesh and blood of the Lord. The soul 
above all is ennobled and made susceptible to 
good. How often I have experienced it! After 


NOVEMBER. 


197 


a good Holy Communioii nothing gave me 
trouble, I worked with joy; to hear with 
others was in no way hard; the works of love 
were done easily and quickly. Ho wonder! 
Jesus Christ w T as acting in me. On my death¬ 
bed I need not fear death; Christ is my Life, 
death my gain; for the last time Jesus Christ 
will, as it were, graft Himself upon me 
to impart the sap of immortality, then to 
transplant me into the ever-blooming pleasure 
garden of paradise. 

O my God and Lord, Jesus Christ, come 
into my heart! It is full of faults and in¬ 
firmities, yet Thou, 0 Lord, purify it; it is 
weak in virtue, hut strengthen it, unite it to 
Thee, and make me produce those fruits 
which Thou e«pectest of me. I promise 
Thee, henceforth to prepare as well as 
possible for Holy Communion, that it may 
have those effects for me. Help me thereto 
with Thy grace. 

Prayer after Meditation . 


198 


MEDITATION II. 


MEDITATION II. 

Resignation to the Will of God. 

First Prelude. —Behold God on His 
throne in heaven, how He ordains the whole 
course of the universe and gazes with at¬ 
tentive eye upon everything that happens. 

Second Prelude. —Pray devoutly with 
the'Royal Prophet : “Teach me to do Thy 
will, for Thou art my God” (Ps. cxlii. 10). 

First Point. In What Does Perfect 
Resignation to the Will of God Con¬ 
sist? —By perfect resignation to the will of 
God we understand the intimate union of 
our will with the divine, so that we desire 
nothing but what God desires, wish nothing 
hut what He wills, and as He wills it; that 
we are ready to go quietly and joyfully 
wherever He calls us, to accept what He 
sends and to do what He demands of us. In 
this happy state one does everything without 
disquiet, without impetuosity or haste, with¬ 
out disgust or ill-will, without postponement, 
without worry about the good or bad issue. 


NOVEMBER . 


199 


One is ready beforehand for either issue as 
God wills it; one has no other preference nor 
other love than the love for the divine will. 
O holy indifference, that knows no anxiety, 
no carelessness! One accepts everything 
contentedly in the natural order of things: 
health or sickness, beauty or deformity, 
wealth or poverty, honor or dishonor, life or 
death; in the supernatural order of things 
everything is equally welcome: spiritual arid¬ 
ity as well as consolation and zeal, abandon¬ 
ment and darkness as well as sweetness and 
light. St. Francis de Sales comprises per¬ 
fect resignation in these few words: “Desire 
nothing, fear nothing, ask nothing, refuse 
nothing.” 

O happy state! How restful, meek and 
peaceful thou must be! O august state! To 
have one and the same will with God, the 
Holy of holies! Such is the occupation 
of the angels of heaven; it was the occupa¬ 
tion of the Son of God Himself on earth! 
“I came down from heaven not to do My 
own will, but the will of Him that sent Me” 


200 


MEDITATION II. 


(John vi. 38). It is the occupation of all 
the saints, and will be my occupation for all 
eternity. “Lord, what wilt Thou have me 
to do?” (Acts ix. 6.) “Father, Thy will be 
done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. vi. 
10). Let this will be my daily bread, as it 
was to Thy divine Son, when saying, “My 
meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me” 
(John iv. 34). 

Second Point. On What Must Our 
Resignation to the Will of God Rest ?— 
It rests on the immutable foundation of 
faith, on the word, wisdom, and love of God. 
I know that everything which happens in 
this world happens by divine dispensation or 
permission. Ho leaf falls from the tree, no 
hair from our head, if God does not allow it. 
If we love Him, everything that happens 
will turn to our good: “We know that to 
them that love God all things work together 
unto good” (Rom. viii. 28). I know that 
God knows better than myself that which is 
good for me. He knows me, my inclinations, 
my wants, my defects and infirmities, and 


NOVEMBER. 


201 


He is guided by this knowledge, for the Holy 
Ghost says, “He knoweth our frame’’ (Ps. 
cii. 14). I know that God often uses means 
for reaching His end that are in apparent 
contradiction. The captivity served to the 
elevation of Joseph on the throne of Egypt; 
the cross of the Son of God to His glory! 
That which seems troublesome and tedious 
to me often is a proof of God’s love for me. 
He has marked out each one’s road to heaven, 
and it is a chain of events, graces, tribula¬ 
tions, and consolations. God alone knows 
this way. He, then, must lead us on it, we 
cannot lead ourselves; we know not whether 
this or that which we desire or fear is an ob¬ 
stacle or a remedy for us. Our entire resigna¬ 
tion to God will be a mighty inducement for 
God to lead us to a happy end. Should a child 
not feel at ease relying on the hand of his 
father, and would God abandon to its fate a 
soul that is entirely resigned to Him? 

Behold, then, O my soul, on what your 
resignation is founded. Why, then, should 
I be disturbed ? “The Lord ruleth me: and 


202 


MEDITATION II. 


I shall want nothing” (Ps. xxii. 1). I 
myself cannot appoint what is good for 
me; a ship that has but an inexperienced 
seaman at the helm is near destruction. If 
I review my past life, I shall find that fre¬ 
quently the greatest tribulations have served 
for my spiritual advance. Have I not reason 
gratefully to acknowledge that divine Prov¬ 
idence has guided me? 

Third Point. What Advantage Does 
Resignation to the Will of God Bring ? 
—It not only renders us pleasing to God, but 
it gives to the soul a rest, a peace that can 
be disturbed by nothing, not even by the 
greatest difficulties and suffering; it takes 
the soul with one bound to the pinnacle of 
perfection. It is the compilation of all vir¬ 
tues, the outflow, the fruit of the love for 
God, Our Father, the proof of a lively faith 
in divine Providence, of a firm confidence 
in His goodness, of a deep humility, that 
distrusts its own wisdom; it is the perfect 
holocaust which God demands of us. “There¬ 
fore,” says St. Bernard, “is the word of St. 


NOVEMBER. 


203 


Paul, ‘Lord what wilt Thou that have me to 
do/ short, it is true, but full of meaning.” 
Yea, St. Francis de Sales says, “The resig¬ 
nation to the holy will of God is the mark of 
our eternal election, for it is impossible for 
God to refuse to receive into His kingdom 
one that dies in this perfect resignation.” 

O my God, why have I so often preferred 
my will to Thine ? Why have I grown bitter 
toward persons or things that were but in¬ 
struments of Thy will ? Only because these 
truths were not present to my mind. Imprint 
them deep into my heart, that I may never 
forget them; especially not when a cross op¬ 
presses me, when others are adverse to me, 
or when I have many difficulties. Teach me, 
then, to recognize in all Thy fatherly hand, 
which governs all lovingly and yet is al¬ 
mighty. 

Prayer after Meditation. 


204 


MEDITATION III. 


MEDITATION III. 

End of Man. 

First Prelude.— Let us place ourselves 
in spirit before the judgment seat; hear God 
speak: “I have created thee as a rational 
man, made a Christian, a religious of thee. 
How hast thou corresponded to thy voca¬ 
tion ?” 

Second Prelude. —A fervent prayer to 
reach perfectly the intentions of God. 

First Point. Why Was I Created?— 
Every person endowed with intellect has a 
certain end in view for all his actions—how 
much more had the supreme Wisdom a fixed 
end when resolving to call me into existence. 
What was this end? I was taught the an¬ 
swer when hut a child: “To know God, to 
love Him and thereby to gain heaven.” That 
renders man perfect, as the Holy Ghost says 
(Eccles. xii. 13). I have no other purpose 
in life; if I do not strive to reach the end 
for which I was created, I have no right to 
exist, I am as a candle without a light, a bell 


NOVEMBER. 


205 


without a sound. All my thoughts, words, 
and actions must he directed to this end. 
“Whether you eat or drink or whatsoever 
else you do, do all to the glory of God” 
(1 Cor. x. 31). If I performed the greatest 
works, yea, possessed the gift of miracles, all 
would be vanity of vanities, if God were not 
the end of my actions. “I should run and 
grow tired,” says St. Augustine, “but I 
should run outside the road.” And the Holy 
Ghost declares that “all have gone aside, 
they are become unprofitable together” (Ps. 
lii. 4). 

Have I always worked and lived for this 
end ? My soul, remember your sins, then 
answer. . . Yet there is no more sublime end. 
God Himself is my end! He has created 
me after His likeness, has given me under¬ 
standing, to know Him, a will to love Him, 
a body and a soul to serve Him. “0 Lord,” 
exclaims the pious sufferer Job, “what is a 
man that Thou shouldst magnify him? or 
why dost Thou set Thy heart upon him?” 
(Job vii. 17.) 


206 


MEDITATION III . 


And St. Augustine: “For Thyself, O 
Lord, Thou hast created us, and our heart 
will not be at rest until it rests in Thee.” 

Second Point. Wherefore Am I a 
Christian? —God has a certain intention, 
an end in view when, before so many mil¬ 
lions, He called me to His true Church. Or 
would He have bestowed this inestimable 
benefit to be of no avail for me? As man 
T am bound to know, love and serve God, yet 
as Christian I have a far-reaching duty: 
I must strive to know Him, to love and serve 
Him as Jesus Christ has taught us. And 
what is His doctrine? “If any man will 
come after Me, let him deny himself, and 
take up his cross and follow Me” (Matt. xvi. 
24). I am then as a Christian to deny my 
nature, my inclinations and passions—in a 
word to deny myself after the example and 
the doctrine of the Son of God. If I wish 
to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ and to 
be called thus, then I must be conformable 
to Him. He was humble, obedient, chaste, 
benevolent, compassionate and merciful, full 


NOVEMBER. 


207 


of desire for suffering. And how am I ?. . . 
I must be clothed with the Lord Jesus Christ, 
for the Apostle says, “For as many of you 
as have been baptized in Christ, have put on 
Christ” (Gal. iii. 27). What an honor! But 
what a disgrace would it be if I put on Christ 
exteriorly only, while my interior does not 
correspond to the exterior. I must, as it 
were, be embodied in Christ, for says the 
Apostle, “Know you not that your bodies are 
the members of Christ?” (1 Cor. vi. 15.) 
Do I, a sensual, unmortified limb, belong 
to such a head ?. . . I must, so to say, lead 
the same life as Jesus Christ, “that the life 
of Jesus may be made manifest in our 
bodies” (2 Cor. iv. 10). Since I am a Chris¬ 
tian, the following words should be verified 
in me: Jesus Christ thinks, speaks and acts 
in her. May I claim this testimony before 
God ? Can I truly say, “I live, no, not I, but 
Christ liveth in me” (Gal. ii. 20). 0 God, 
that it were true! As a Christian I must 
have this aim, the end which God had in 
view when He called me to Christianity! If 


208 


MEDITATION III. 


I direct my aim to something else, I miss my 
vocation, I disappoint God, my Lord, my 
Redeemer. 

Third Point. Why Am I a Religious? 
—From among the millions of Christians in 
the world God has selected a few to serve 
Him in a special manner in the solitude of 
the convent. I belong to these few. And 
why? What prompted God to select me? 
Surely not my merits, for there are thousands 
better than I who have not been called. 

Ho, God’s intention was that I should 
strive after a higher perfection in the re¬ 
ligious state and thereby give Him more 
honor and glory. From all eternity He re¬ 
solved to call me to the religious state, He 
has directed all the events of my life to this 
purpose. How He justly expects me to he a 
religious co-operating with His intentions, a 
religious who is not satisfied with being 
saved, hut who strives after high perfection, 
one who offers all her actions and omissions 
to God, who esteems and prizes nothing hut 
her end, who sacrifices all, is willing to suf- 


NOVEMBER. 


209 


fer all to obtain this end. Have I thought 
like this of my holy vocation? Or am I 
satisfied with an ordinary life, distinguished 
from the life of seculars only by a few 
religious exercises ? Should this he the case, 
oh, how much I have disappointed my Lord 
and God! He might say to me: “I have 
planted a chosen vineyard, I have done much, 
very much for it.. . and what fruit do I 
find?” I even risk my salvation, for per¬ 
fection and salvation are two terms almost 
signifying the same for a religious. Hobody 
forced me to become a religious; I was free. 
But I am not when by God’s grace I am a 
religious—the striving after perfection is a 
holy duty, the duty of my state. If I do not 
fulfil it, God will withdraw His grace; per¬ 
haps He will cast me off, as an artisan throws 
away a tool of which he expected good ser¬ 
vice, but which has proved totally useless. 
I deceive and disappoint the world likewise; 
they take me to be pious and very mortified, 
crucified and dead to the world, and how is 
it in reality? 


210 


MEDITATION III. 


0 my God, what thanks I owe Thee for 
my three-fold dignity of man, Christian, and 
religious! But then, what an account I have 
to render! I conjure Thee to pardon my 
faults, and to grant me to know better my 
three-fold end; give me all the graces I stand 
in need of to correspond to Thy holy in¬ 
tentions in a perfect manner. Amen. 

Prayer after Meditation . 


DECEMBER. 


MEDITATION I. 

The Miracles of Jesus in the Blessed 
Sacrament . 

First Prelude. —Behold Jesus Christ 
saying the words: “My flesh is meat indeed 
and My blood is drink indeed” (John vi. 
56). 

Second Prelude. —O God, who hast left 
us a memorial of Thy miracles, grant that 
the meditation on these miracles fill us more 
and more with gratitude. 

First Point. Holy Communion is a 
Miracle of Love.— Nobody is able to give 
more than he possesses. There have been 
men who for love of one have made them¬ 
selves slaves. Our Redeemer has given us 
many great gifts, yet all are surpassed by 
the gift of Himself. More He had not, more 
211 



212 


MEDITATION I. 


He could not give. And what He gives is 
the highest good, which the angels admire 
and which constitutes their happiness for all 
eternity. He gives much, immensely much, 
because He reserves nothing for Himself. If 
a king presented us with ever so great a 
treasure, he would be giving little, for there 
is much left to him. Jesus, however, gives 
all that He owns: His Godhead and Human¬ 
ity, body and soul, His graces. He shows to 
us still greater love by giving Himself in a 
manner so as to let us become, as it were, 
master over Him. We may dispose of Him. 
He is at our command as a prisoner, tied and 
fettered in the prison of our hearts. Love 
has delivered Him to us. Why, O my Jesus, 
hast Thou done this? What dost Thou be¬ 
hold in us? What dost Thou expect from 
us? What interest urges Thee to give Thy¬ 
self in this manner? We men hardly ever 
give anything without having our own in¬ 
terest in view; there is little disinterested 
love here below... But if you want to wit¬ 
ness pure, unselfish love, then turn your 


DECEMBER. 


213 


eyes to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. If 
anything attracts Him, it is our misery, our 
spiritual poverty. O what love! Who could 
describe it worthily, who admire it ad¬ 
equately, who sufficiently thank Jesus for 
this benefit ? We are powerless to do so. Ye 
saints of heaven, come to our aid, help us to 
praise, glorify, admire Jesus, above all to 
thank Him in the Sacrament of His love. 

Second Point. Holy Communion is a 
Miracle of Power. —The manna in the 
desert was a wonderful food. It came down 
from heaven in a mysterious manner, and 
had for every one the taste he wished. The 
five loaves with which Our Lord fed the five 
thousand were miraculous bread, and the 
Jews present became so enthusiastic over 
this miracle that they intended to proclaim 
Jesus their king. In Holy Communion we 
receive a much more miraculous Food. At 
Cana in Galilee water was changed into wine 
—here bread is changed into the sacred body 
of the Lord, and wine into His precious 
blood. The appearances of bread and wine 


214 


MEDITATION /. 


remain, and those not enlightened by the 
light of faith behold nothing but bread and 
wine; yet by a miracle without parallel, the 
body and the blood of Jesus Christ is hidden 
under the appearances—the essence of bread 
and wine no longer exist. If there are two 
appearances, Jesus is present with body and 
blood under each; no matter under which 
appearance we receive Him, we receive Him 
equally. At any earthly repast the offered 
dishes decrease in proportion to the number 
of guests—not so at Thy banquet, O Jesus! 
Whether I appear there alone or accom¬ 
panied by thousands, I receive as much as 
those thousands together, and all receive 
neither more nor less than I alone. Should 
the world exist for a million years longer, 
the number of men multiply a thousandfold, 
never will this Food become less, nor poorer 
in quality. It continues what it is—the 
whole body of Jesus Christ. Yet the effects 
of this food are different, and even that is 
miraculous. John receives it and his heart 
is set aflame with love, so that he seeks repose 


DECEMBER. 


215 


on the bosom of his Lord. Judas receives 
the same food and immediately rises and 
leaves to betray his Master. The one re¬ 
ceives life, the other death. Thus the sun 
benefits and enlightens the healthy eye, while 
it blinds the sick one. If we divide the won¬ 
derful food, we behold a new miracle. Be¬ 
fore the division Jesus was wholly present 
under the appearances; if we divide them 
ever so often, He remains wholly present in 
every little particle. The manner in which 
His presence is effected is equally wonderful. 
The priest, a poor mortal, speaks a few 
words, and these few words, uttered in a 
whisper, resound in the heights of heaven 
and draw down the Son of God upon the 
altar. “O wonderful mystery!” exclaims 
holy Church, “the bread of angels becomes 
the food of men!” Indeed, what miracles! 
“They constitute,” says St. Thomas, “the 
greatest miracle of the Lord, greater than 
the changing of water into wine at Cana, 
greater than the multiplying of the loaves, 
greater than the raising of Lazarus.” 


216 


MEDITATION /. 


“Blessed are they that have not seen and have 
believed” (John xx. 29). 

Third Point. Holy Communion is a 
Miracle of Patience. —Consider to what 
insults Jesus Christ is exposed in the Blessed 
Sacrament. How numerous, how terrible 
are they, and they are offered instead of the 
gratitude that He might justly expect for 
His love! Let us only remember the insults 
of the Jews, the pagans, the heretics; the 
desecrations by Catholics who receive Holy 
Communion with no preparation or with 
tepidity—yea, what is worse, receive it like 
Judas with a heart stained by mortal sin, 
and occupied by Satan, its lord and king. 
What has Jesus had to bear already in Holy 
Communion from me?... He bears all, He 
does not take revenge, and for more than 
nineteen hundred years He remains patient 
amid all this ignominy. Herod demanded a 
miracle from the Lord—He was silent... 
Herod and his court mocked Him—He was 
silent... Thus Jesus works before the eyes 
of Herod the great miracle of patience; yet 


DECEMBER . 


217 


Herod is not aware of it. Before our eyes 
Jesus in like manner performs that miracle 
of toleration, which becomes the greater as 
it is to continue to the end of the world. 
Jesus foresaw all, yet it did not prevent Him 
from instituting the Most Holy Sacrament, 
this wonderful food. 

O my Jesus, how grateful I should be at 
the remembrance of so great miracles! Thou 
workest all these miracles of love, of power, 
and patience, in order not to deprive me of 
the happiness of Thy presence. Thou workest 
them that to-day again I may receive this 
wonderful food; Thou workest them to be 
my Viaticum on my death-bed. 

O Jesus, give me now the sentiments that 
I wish to have at that moment, so that this 
food be in reality for me a food of immor¬ 
tality. Amen. 

Prayer after Meditation . 


218 


MEDITATION II. 


MEDITATION II. 

Jesus in the Crib a Model of Obedience, 
Poverty, and Chastity . 

First Prelude. —Let us place ourselves 
in spirit in the poor stable of Bethlehem. 
Kneel before the crib, from which, lying 
on hard straw, wrapped in lowly swaddling 
clothes, a most lovely Child looks at us. 

Second Prelude. —A devout prayer to 
understand well the lessons of obedience, 
poverty, and chastity that the Infant Jesus 
gives to us. 

First Point. The Crib Teaches Us 
Obedience. —Consider: The disobedience 
of Adam plunged the whole human race into 
misery. Jesus, the Second Person of the 
Most Holy Trinity, wants to heal our mis¬ 
fortune by His most perfect obedience. He, 
therefore, at His entrance into the world, 
says, “Holocausts for sin did not please thee. 
Then said I: Behold I come: in the head of 
the hook it is written of Me: that I should 
do Thy will, 0 God” (Hebr. x. 6). 


DECEMBER. 


219 


This little Child in the crib will one day 
say, “I came down from heaven not to do 
My own will, but the will of Him that sent 
Me” (John vi. 38). Jesus, then, brings 
obedience to earth. Behold how He allows 
Himself to be handled by Mary at her will. 
She wraps Him in swaddling clothes, places 
Him in the arms of Joseph, takes Him on 
her lap or lays Him down in the manger; 
the Infant Jesus, at whose command legions 
of angels stand, permits it all. He does not 
murmur, does not contradict, shows no dis¬ 
satisfaction, no resistance. He has come to 
do the will of His Father and that will is 
that for the present He be treated as a help¬ 
less child by those taking God’s place on 
earth in His behalf. 

Behold here the Model of religious 
obedience. I must likewise be a speechless 
child in the hands of my Superiors, without 
choice, without self-will. Obedience is the 
perfect holocaust of ourselves, by which we 
renounce our own will, to subject it to God 
in the person of His representatives. JSTow 


220 


MEDITATION II. 


then, ask yourself: Have I always been be¬ 
fore my Superiors a mute, speechless child ? 
Whence then my discontent whenever an 
order or a restriction of my Superiors does 
not suit me ? Have I not contradicted them, 
or have I not made them bear the grief of 
knowing that I, instead of being a child with¬ 
out a will of my own, show much, yea, very 
much self-will ?.. . 

O heavenly Father, I offer Thee the 
obedience of Thy divine Son in reparation 
for all shortcomings in my obedience.. . 
Divine Infant, who hast given me the most 
beautiful example of obedience, hind me by 
the ties of this virtue, as Thy Mother bound 
Thy hands and feet with the swaddling 
clothes. Help me never to withdraw these 
bands, that I may lead a life of perfect 
obedience, being entirely at the beck of my 
Superiors, until the day when I can say with 
Thee, “Father, into Thy hands I commend 
my spirit.” 

Second Point. The Crib Teaches Us 
Holy Poverty. —Consider: The Infant ly- 


DECEMBER. 


221 


ing before you is the God of heaven and 
earth. All has been made by Him and noth¬ 
ing without Him. He can truly say, “The 
Father loveth the Son, and He hath given all 
things into His hands (John iii. 35), gold, 
silver, and jewels, and all the treasures of 
the earth. 

In the stable of Bethlehem everything 
seems to contradict this! There is no trace 
of wealth; on the contrary, all speaks of 
poverty, of such poverty that the poorest 
child we know is not so poor as was the little 
Babe in the manger. This poverty will 
steadily increase, for, says St. Bernard, “the 
Lord was poor in the crib, poorer in His 
life, poorest on the cross.” Poverty is His 
bride, whom He espoused in the crib in a 
mysterious manner, a spouse that He loves 
tenderly and that shall accompany Him to 
Nazareth, to Egypt, to Judea, yea, to Calvary, 
to the cross, where He may more truly than 
at any other time say, “The foxes have holes, 
and the birds of the air nests, but the Son of 
man hath not w T here to lay His head” (Luke 


222 


MEDITATION II. 


ix. 58). 0 God, what poverty in the crib! 

Remember, my soul, that this poverty was 
freely chosen. This Infant could have been 
born in a palace. Yet, to give me an ex¬ 
ample, He preferred poverty to wealth .. . 
Consider how humiliating this poverty was 
for Him, how much contempt it caused Him 
to suffer from men.. . Behold, likewise, how 
painful it was for Him. The cold makes 
Him shudder, the hard straw chafes His 
tender limbs. . . Nevertheless, He embraces 
poverty, loves it as His bride, and nothing in 
the world is able to separate Him from it. .. 
O divine Infant, what an example for me! 
My poverty generally is not humiliating for 
me; on the contrary, it commands the esteem 
of men; yet do I not often seek to escape the 
slight humiliations that now and then are 
connected with it? Do I willingly ask per¬ 
mission for trifling things? How do I bear 
any want occurring in food or clothing? O 
my soul, remember that on the day of pro¬ 
fession, you chose holy poverty as spouse; 
nobody forced you; you were free; yet now 


DECEMBER. 


223 


since you deliberately took it upon yourself, 
that you might imitate the example of Jesus, 
it is your duty to love poverty, and every 
earthly attachment is an act of disloyalty 
toward your vow. 

Third Point. The Crib Teaches IJs 
Holy Chastity. —Holy Scripture says of 
Jesus Christ that “He feedeth among the 
lilies” (Cant. vi. 2). Even at His birth this 
prophecy was fulfilled. Behold, only pure, 
chaste persons surround the little Redeemer: 
Mary, the Virgin of virgins, Joseph, the 
virginal spouse of the Virgin Mother. At 
the Incarnation purity had almost entirely 
disappeared from the world; Jesus Christ 
will return it and restore its luster. His 
mouth will one day announce to the world, 
“Blessed are the clean of heart, for they 
shall see God” (Matt. v. 8). His heart is the 
fountain from which the waters flow which 
can efface all impurity. His whole life was 
employed in fighting the spirit of fornication 
which plunges men into perdition. Jesus in 
the crib teaches us purity by the mortifica- 


224 


MEDITATION II. 


tion to which He subjects Himself, for mor¬ 
tification is the necessary condition for 
preservation of purity. The open stable, the 
hard couch, the coarse straw, the scanty 
coverings, all exclaim: “If you desire to re¬ 
main pure, mortify yourself, for mortifica¬ 
tion alone gives self-control; among the 
thorns only, the lily remains pure and in¬ 
tact.” O my soul, what will you say now? 
You love purity, its heavenly beauty attracts 
you, you would like to equal the angels. But 
do you love the mortification of the body and 
of the heart? Ho you practise continually 
the abnegation of all that flatters the senses ? 
Remember well what has been written: 
“They that are Christ’s have crucified their 
flesh with the vices and concupiscences” 
(Gal. v. 24). 

O Jesus, purity of virgins, who feedest 
among the lilies, by Thy love of purity, grant 
me the grace to preserve my soul unsullied 
and to make use of all the means at my dis¬ 
posal for obtaining this end. Graciously ac¬ 
cept the renewal of my holy vows which I 


DECEMBER. 


225 


lay down at Thy feet; at the same time grant 
me the strength and grace I need to under¬ 
stand and obey Thy lessons from the crib. 
Amen. 

Prayer after Meditation. 

MEDITATION III. 

Heaven. 

First Prelude. —Represent to yourself 
our lovable Redeemer in the full brightness 
of His beauty. He tells us, “Be glad and 
rejoice for your reward is great in heaven” 
(Luke vi. 23). 

Second Prelude. —An ardent prayer to 
be animated with a great desire for the 
eternal possessions, and with strength to hear 
the present sufferings joyfully. 

First Point. The Reward of Heaven 
Is an Overflowing Joy. —What is all the 
good that we do for God in comparison to 
what we ought to do? We do a little more, 
it is true, than people in the world; but 
remember that after having performed all 
we had to do we are hut unprofitable servants. 


226 


MEDITATION III. 


barely fulfilling their duty. Yet even this 
little the infinite goodness of God is willing 
to reward with an infinite reward! “For I 
reckon that the sufferings of this time are not 
to be compared with the glory to come, that 
shall be revealed in us” (Rom. viii. 18). 
“The eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither 
hath it entered into the heart of man, what 
things God hath prepared for them that love 
Him” (1 Cor. ii. 9). All the beauty, gold, 
and jewels of the world, all worldly joys 
and enjoyments have no value when con¬ 
trasted with the delight that is in store 
for us. “I Myself,” speaks the Lord, “I, 
the wealth of heaven, the joy of angels, 
the light of the Father, the mirror of 
His glory, I Myself shall be Thy exceeding 
great reward” (Gen. xv. 1). We shall see 
millions and millions of angels, the cherubim 
and seraphim, the apostles, martyrs, con¬ 
fessors, and virgins; at their head, Mary the 
most beautiful and glorious! We shall see 
God; His loving eye will rest upon us; we 
shall sing His praise and exalt and be filled 


DECEMBER. 


227 


with the excess of His house; we shall over¬ 
flow with joy, and be inundated in a region 
of light and glory and bliss. O happy hour! 
Yea, my soul, desire, long to be there, where 
such joy will be yours. “When shall I come 
and appear before the face of God?” (Ps. 
xli. 3.) When will they tell me: “We shall 
go into the house of the Lord” (Ps. cxxi. 1) ? 

But what must I do to participate in this 
reward ? Does God demand extraordinary 
deeds from me to acquire this happiness ? 
“If the price frightens you,” says St. Augus¬ 
tine, “ be consoled—the poor widow pur¬ 
chased heaven for two farthings; yea, it is 
cheaper yet; for a drink of cold water, yea, 
for less, you may acquire it: Have a good 
will, and heaven is yours.” 

O my soul, God demands no severe acts of 
penance, no hard labors for the salvation of 
souls, no martyr’s death, no blood. He de¬ 
mands simply this: Your Holy Rule, and 
nothing but that. Should I not willingly ac¬ 
cept the little sufferings of life, to obtain 
greater glory in heaven ? God gives me that 


228 


MEDITATION III. 


suffering, that work, as a coin with which to 
purchase eternal happiness; even the most 
insignificant work, every step, every breath, 
every ejaculation, may become such a coin. 
Then why should I not make use of them ? 

O God, pardon my former folly and in¬ 
gratitude ! 

Second Point. The Reward of Heaven 
Is Unmixed Joy. —Suffering of any kind is 
our daily lot here below. Consolation and 
joy are seldom our portion, and but for a 
short time. This world is a valley of tears 
in which few roses, but many thorns, are 
found. Yet when the happy day dawns, 
when we are called to receive our reward, all 
the sufferings shall be changed into joy. O 
my God, what consoling promises Thou givest 
me in this regard! “They shall not hunger, 
nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor the sun 
strike them, for He that is merciful to them 
shall be their shepherd, and at the fountains 
of waters He shall give them drink” (Isaias 
xlix. 10). “And you are they who have con¬ 
tinued with Me in My temptations. And I 


DECEMBER. 


229 


dispose to you, as My Father hath disposed 
to Me, a kingdom, that you may eat and 
drink at My table in My kingdom; and may 
sit upon thrones, judging the twelve tribes of 
Israel” (Luke xxii. 28-30). “And God shall 
wipe away all tears from their eyes, and death 
shall he no more, nor mourning, nor crying, 
nor sorrow shall be any more, for the former 
things are passed away” (Apocalypse xxi. 

4 )* 

“And night shall be no more: and they 
shall not need the light of the lamp, nor the 
light of the sun, because the Lord God shall 
enlighten them, and they shall reign forever 
and ever” (xxii. 5). O God, how glorious! 
And all this joy is destined for me, if I am 
faithful! “And he that shall overcome shall 
possess these things, and I will he his God; 
and he shall be My son” (xxi. 7). Kemem- 
ber, my soul, that it is God who gives you 
these promises, He who is faithful to His 
words. Has He not declared, “Heaven and 
earth shall pass away, but My words shall not 
pass away”? What trouble, what exertion 


230 


MEDITATION III. 


could appear too great to obtain such happi¬ 
ness ? O happy suffering that causes my 
bliss! “How lovely are Thy tablernacles, O 
Lord of hosts ! My soul longeth and fainteth 
for the courts of the Lord” (Ps. lxxxiii. 1). 
“Blessed are they that dwell in Thy house, 
O Lord: they shall praise Thee for ever and 
ever” (Ps. lxxxiii. 5). “I shall go over into 
the place of the wonderful tabernacle, even 
to the house of God with the voice of joy and 
praise” (Ps. xli. 5). How long still, O Lord, 
how long? 

Third Point. The Reward of Heaven 
Is Eternal Joy. —What is the life of man 
compared with eternity ? A disappearing 
smoke, a swift-passing arrow. If Methusalem 
had worked and suffered from the first 
moment of his existence to the last, his work 
would have been short in comparison to the 
eternal reward. Our age shall surely not 
surpass a hundred years. Oh, how short is 
this time compared with eternity! And for 
this short work I shall receive an eternal re¬ 
ward! As long as God shall rule, I shall 


DECEMBER. 


231 


rule with Him; as long as He is glorified, 
my glory shall last and my happiness shall 
have no end. Here all joy is of short dura¬ 
tion and the whole life of man consists in 
joy and grief that meet and intermingle 
everywhere. The joy of union is succeeded 
by the sorrow of separation and the enjoy¬ 
ment of possession by the pain of loss. Hot 
so when we are with Thee, O Lord! “We 
have a building of God, a house not made 
with hands, eternal in heaven” (2 Cor. v. 1). 
“For the things which are seen are temporal, 
hut the things which are not seen are eternal” 
(iv. 18) “For that which is at present mo¬ 
mentary and light of our tribulation, worketh 
for us above measure exceedingly an eternal 
weight of glory” (iv. 17). How the holy 
penitents, hermits and martyrs rejoice now! 
They planted their seed in the soil of short 
earthly sufferings and harvested eternal joys. 
How happy is the good penitent thief, who 
for a few moments of suffering received the 
joys of paradise! How I shall one day deem 
myself happy on account of the suffering en- 


232 


MEDITATION III. 


dured here below! If I can then repent of 
anything, it shall surely be of not having 
worked and suffered more. O my soul, how 
easy ought everything to appear when I con¬ 
sider heaven, when I raise my eyes to the 
eternal hills, from whence eternal glory sends 
its foreshadow. “Why art thou mournful, 
O my soul, and why dost thou trouble thy¬ 
self ?” Bather exclaim with St. Paul, “I have 
a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, 
a thing by far the better” (Phil. i. 23). 

O my Lord and God, what delight shall 
fill my soul when Thy sweet voice shall re¬ 
sound: “Come, ye blessed of My Father, 
possess you the kingdom, which hath been 
prepared for you” (Matt. xxv. 34). Grant 
that the overflowing, undisturbed and eternal 
joy of heaven be ever present to my mind 
when sufferings oppress or humiliations are 
my share. Would that I could exclaim with 
St. Ignatius, “How sordid the earth when I 
look at the sky.” 

Prayer after Meditation. 


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7 


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8 


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